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Should Bellingham hopes to earn his place once again into the English strongest squad, the smart move to do away with the unnecessary reactions. His reaction when he saw that his number was about to come up after an evening of mixed performance in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and respect for the players who substitute on," commented the coach. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no need for an outburst. Kane had only moments earlier made it the national team 2-0 up in a meaningless qualifier, there were six minutes left and Bellingham, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for fouling an opponent. This was hardly a debatable decision. In fact it might have been reckless for Tuchel to not substitute him because there was a risk he would be suspended of the opening game of the competition by getting a second caution.

Shifting Focus Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s frustration upon understanding that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and while he exchanged a handshake after making his way to the sideline it was clear that the manager was not impressed.

Here lies the test for Bellingham. He congratulated Rashford for sending in the ball for the captain to head in his second goal, but the rest was harmful to his cause. It is not as if protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The German has talked so much about following squad protocols and the necessity of acting professionally.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, left out of last month’s squad, has faced close inspection upon his return to the team recently. In effect his place has been in question and he has not done himself any favours with his response to coming off the pitch as the national team rounded off a ideal group stage by defeating a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

It means it's unclear on if England function at their best with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was inconclusive. There was experimentation by the coach at the start. He has provided the squad organization and direction in recent months, using a No 6, a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different in this match. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, the midfielder made his first start at this level and the role of the defender as a makeshift midfielder created a faint echo to City's historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for his teammate in the latter period but frequently appeared trying too hard. There were a lot of rushed, misplaced passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder in the early stages. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. An opportunity for Albania came after he lost the ball cheaply. His booking was shown after he lost the ball to Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Substitutes Decide

In the end the squad's strength was decisive. Tuchel introduced Foden, who looked more comfortable to the role occupied by Bellingham during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka whipped in a corner for Kane to break the deadlock. It highlighted that set pieces are going to be vital next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for Kane's goal was partly forgotten amid the drama of the Rogers substitution. At the end, everyone was watching him. The coach approached to his side and directed the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the away supporters. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to abandon the player just yet. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to offer him centre stage is still uncertain.