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If Jude Bellingham hopes to fight his way into the English top starting eleven, the smart move to do away with the unnecessary reactions. His reaction when he saw that his number was about to come up after a match of mixed performance in Tirana was not good enough.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect for the players who substitute on," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you need to comply being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for a tantrum. The captain had only moments earlier made it England 2-0 up in a meaningless match, the game had six minutes to go and the player, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for a foul on the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a debatable decision. Actually it would have been foolish for the head coach to not substitute him considering there was a risk the midfielder would rule himself out of the opening game of the competition by receiving a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention on Himself

But Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s frustration upon understanding that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and although he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the sideline it was clear that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He congratulated Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to nod home his second goal, but his other actions was counterproductive. It is not as if complaining was going to reverse the substitution. The German has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the importance of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

The midfielder, omitted from the team last month, is being watched carefully since coming back to the team recently. Practically he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to being taken off as the national team completed a flawless qualification run by overcoming a feisty challenge from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

This implies it's unclear on how the team operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. What we saw was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel in the beginning. Under him, England have gained the squad organization and direction over the past few matches, using a holding player, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but there was a different feel against Albania. The young defender was given his first cap, the midfielder was in the starting lineup at this level and the role of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder gave a passing resemblance to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

Mixed Performance

His performance was inconsistent. He made a chance for Eberechi Eze after the break but often looked trying too hard. He made many poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. A scoring chance for the opponents followed Bellingham gave the ball away. His caution occurred when an opponent took the ball from Broja and brought down the attacker.

Squad Strength Shows

In the end England’s depth proved crucial. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who appeared better suited to the position occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka provided a corner kick for the captain to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that set pieces are going to be vital next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, the focus was on Bellingham. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for the second goal was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the substitution incident. At the end, all eyes were on him. Tuchel came over to his side and directed the player to acknowledge the away supporters. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on Bellingham yet. However, whether the coach is prepared to grant him the central position remains in doubt.