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If Jude Bellingham aims to force his way back into the English top team, it would be smart to do away with the unnecessary reactions. His reaction after noticing that the substitute board was going up after an evening of uneven play in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the teammates who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Decisions are made and you must accept them as a player."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for a tantrum. The captain had just put the Three Lions leading by two in a dead rubber fixture, there were six minutes left and he, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for bringing down Armando Broja. It was not a controversial substitution. In fact it would have been foolish for the head coach to not substitute him because it was possible Bellingham would rule himself out of the first match of the competition by picking up a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. No one could overlook the player's disappointment upon understanding that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and although he shook Tuchel’s hand while heading to the touchline there was no doubt that the head coach was not impressed.

This is the challenge that Bellingham must overcome. He congratulated his teammate for delivering the cross for Harry Kane to score his second of the night, but his other actions was self-defeating. There was no chance protesting was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has repeatedly emphasized honoring the team structure and the value of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

He, not included in last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the fold this month. In effect he has been on trial and he has not done himself any favours with his response to his substitution as England rounded off a flawless qualification run by seeing off a feisty challenge from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

As a result it's unclear on whether the team perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested from the manager in the beginning. He has given England organization and direction in recent months, using a No 6, a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel against Albania. Quansah was handed his international debut, the midfielder made his first start for England and the role of the defender as an auxiliary midfielder created a passing resemblance to City's 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He created an opportunity for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but at times seemed too desperate to impress. He made many poorly executed passes. A pointless clash with an Albania midfielder in the early stages. England were ragged during most of the second period. A scoring chance for the opponents resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card occurred when he was dispossessed to Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally England’s depth was decisive. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who appeared more naturally fitted to the position in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. Eventually Saka provided a corner for Harry Kane to open the scoring. It was a reminder that set pieces are going to be vital next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, Bellingham was the story. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was a little lost in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, all eyes were on him. Tuchel came over from behind and pushed Bellingham to acknowledge the English fans. Their relationship remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to discard the player just yet. But if he is willing to offer him centre stage is still uncertain.