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If Jude Bellingham aims to earn his place back into the English top squad, the smart move to eliminate the nonsense. The way he reacted when he saw that the substitute board was going up after an evening of inconsistency in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I’d rather not overstate it but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the players who substitute on," Tuchel said. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no need for a strop. The captain had only moments earlier made it the national team 2-0 up in an inconsequential fixture, there were six minutes left and Bellingham, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for fouling the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a debatable decision. Indeed it might have been reckless for the head coach to keep Bellingham on the pitch given that there was a chance Bellingham would make himself ineligible of the first match of the World Cup by picking up a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. There was no disguising the player's annoyance as he realized that he would be substituted for a teammate. He flung his arms in the air and while he exchanged a handshake after making his way to the touchline it was clear that the head coach was displeased.

This is the challenge that Bellingham must overcome. He congratulated his teammate for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to score the team's second, but his other actions was counterproductive. It's not like complaining was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the value of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

He, not included in the previous squad, is being watched carefully since coming back to the squad in the current camp. In effect he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to coming off the pitch as England rounded off a ideal group stage by defeating a feisty challenge from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

This implies it's unclear on if England operate most effectively with Bellingham in the team. The evidence here was open to interpretation. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel in the beginning. Under him, England have gained England organization and direction over the past few matches, building with a holding player, a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and specialist wingers, but the approach changed versus Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, the midfielder was in the starting lineup internationally and the use of the defender as a part-time midfielder meant there was faint echo to the Manchester club's team that won three trophies.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for Eze during the second half but often looked trying too hard. Several hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent at the beginning. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. One Albania chance came after he lost the ball cheaply. His caution came after he was dispossessed to Broja and brought down the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

Finally the bench quality made the difference. Tuchel threw on Foden, who appeared more naturally fitted to the role occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. Eventually Saka provided a corner for Kane to open the scoring. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks will be crucial next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, all eyes were on Bellingham. The coach approached behind him and directed Bellingham towards the away supporters. Their relationship is not broken. The coach isn't ready to discard Bellingham yet. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to grant him centre stage is not guaranteed.