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Should Bellingham wants to fight his way once again into the English best squad, it would be smart to eliminate the dramatics. His reaction when he saw that he was going up following a night of mixed performance in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'attitude matters' and respect for the players who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you must accept them when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a tantrum. The captain had just put England leading by two in an inconsequential qualifier, the game had six minutes to go and Bellingham, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for a foul on the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a debatable decision. Actually it would have been unwise for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch given that there was a chance he would rule himself out of the initial fixture of the competition by getting a another booking.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s annoyance as he realized that he was going to make way for a teammate. He flung his arms in the air and while he exchanged a handshake on his way to the bench it was obvious that Tuchel was displeased.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He praised his teammate for delivering the cross for the captain to head in his second of the night, but everything else was harmful to his cause. It's not like complaining was going to alter the decision. The German has talked so much about following squad protocols and the importance of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, omitted from the previous squad, is being watched carefully since coming back to the fold this month. Essentially he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours with his response to being taken off as England wrapped up a flawless qualification run by defeating a spirited effort from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

As a result opinions are divided on if the team operate most effectively with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was inconclusive. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel early on. He has given the team organization and direction lately, using a holding player, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different against Albania. The young defender was made his England debut, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup for England and the positioning of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was passing resemblance to City's historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for Eze after the break but at times seemed overly eager to shine. He made many rushed, misplaced passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player early on. England's play was messy during most of the second period. A scoring chance for the opponents resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. His caution was shown after he lost the ball by Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately the bench quality proved crucial. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who looked more naturally fitted to the spot occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and Saka. Eventually Saka delivered a corner for the captain to score the first goal. It highlighted that set pieces are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Bridge Still Stands

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for Kane's goal was somewhat overlooked amid the drama of the player change. After the final whistle, all eyes were on him. Tuchel walked up to his side and guided the player towards the travelling England fans. The bond between them is not broken. The coach isn't ready to discard the player just yet. But if Tuchel is inclined to offer him a starring role is not guaranteed.