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For Bellingham to wants to earn his place once again into the English top starting eleven, it would be smart to eliminate the dramatics. The way he reacted after noticing that his number was going up following a night of inconsistency in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not make more out of it but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and respect towards the squad members who come in," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for a tantrum. Kane had recently scored to make the Three Lions two goals ahead in a meaningless fixture, with only six minutes remaining and Bellingham, after a below-par performance, had just been booked for bringing down the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a debatable decision. In fact it would have been foolish for Tuchel to not substitute him considering there was a chance Bellingham would be suspended of the initial fixture of the World Cup by receiving a second yellow card.

Shifting Focus to Himself

Yet Bellingham made himself the center of attention. There was no disguising the player's frustration upon understanding that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and even though he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the bench it was clear that Tuchel was not impressed.

Here lies the test facing Bellingham. He praised Rashford for providing the assist for Harry Kane to head in his second goal, but the rest was harmful to his cause. It's not like complaining was going to alter the decision. The coach has talked so much about following squad protocols and the value of acting professionally.

Facing Examination

He, omitted from last month’s squad, has faced close inspection since coming back to the team recently. Practically he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case by reacting to being taken off as the side rounded off a flawless qualification run by defeating a spirited effort from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

This implies the jury is out on how the squad perform optimally including Bellingham. The evidence here was inconclusive. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel early on. Under him, England have gained the squad a clear system in recent months, employing a No 6, a central midfielder, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but there was a different feel against Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, the midfielder was in the starting lineup for England and the positioning of Stones as a part-time midfielder meant there was faint echo to City's team that won three trophies.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for his teammate after the break but frequently appeared trying too hard. Several rushed, misplaced passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder in the early stages. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. A scoring chance for the opponents came after he lost the ball cheaply. His caution came after he was dispossessed by Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Substitutes Decide

Finally England’s depth made the difference. The coach brought on Phil Foden, who seemed more naturally fitted to the spot that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka delivered a corner for Kane to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations are going to be vital at the World Cup.

Connection Remains

However, Bellingham was the story. The excellence of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the Rogers substitution. At the end, everyone was watching him. Tuchel came over to his side and pushed the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the English fans. The bond between them is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to give up on the player just yet. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to grant him centre stage is still uncertain.