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For Bellingham to hopes to force his way once again into England’s strongest team, he would be wise to do away with the dramatics. His response when he saw that he was being shown following a night of uneven play in Tirana was not good enough.

"I prefer not to overstate it but I hold to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the players who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Decisions are made and you need to comply being a professional."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a tantrum. Kane had just put England 2-0 up in a dead rubber match, the game had six minutes to go and he, after a below-par performance, had just been booked for a foul on an opponent. This could scarcely be called a questionable change. In fact it would have been foolish for Tuchel to not substitute him considering there was a chance the midfielder would be suspended of the opening game of the World Cup by receiving a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention to Himself

However, the player drew all eyes toward himself. No one could overlook the young midfielder's annoyance upon understanding that his replacement was ready for a teammate. He flung his arms in the air and although he exchanged a handshake while heading to the bench there was no doubt that the head coach did not appreciate it.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He praised Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for Kane to score the team's second, but everything else was harmful to his cause. There was no chance protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. Tuchel has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the value of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

The midfielder, omitted from last month’s squad, is being watched carefully after returning to the squad this month. Practically he was being assessed and he hasn't helped his case with his response to coming off the pitch as the side wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a tough opposition from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

As a result the jury is out on if the team perform optimally including Bellingham. The evidence here was open to interpretation. Tuchel tried new things by the coach early on. He has given England a clear system over the past few matches, employing a No 6, a No 8, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but there was a different feel against Albania. The young defender was made his England debut, Adam Wharton started for the first time for England and the positioning of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder created a faint echo to City's 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but often looked overly eager to shine. He made many hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent early on. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. One Albania chance resulted from Bellingham squandered possession. His caution occurred when he was dispossessed to Broja and fouled the attacker.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately the squad's strength was decisive. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who seemed more comfortable to the position that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka provided a corner for Harry Kane to break the deadlock. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations will play a key role next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, everyone was watching the midfielder. Tuchel came over to his side and directed the player towards the away supporters. Their connection is not broken. Tuchel hasn't decided to abandon him at this stage. However, whether he is willing to grant him a starring role is still uncertain.