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If Jude Bellingham aims to force his way back into the English top squad, he would be wise to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. His reaction when he saw that the substitute board was going up after a match of inconsistency in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to overstate it but I stand by my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect towards the players who substitute on," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you need to comply as a player."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no need for a strop. Kane had recently scored to make the Three Lions two goals ahead in an inconsequential qualifier, the game had six minutes to go and the player, after a below-par performance, received a caution for a foul on an opponent. It was not a questionable change. Actually it would have been unwise for the head coach to leave Bellingham on given that there was a risk the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the World Cup by getting a another booking.

Drawing Attention to Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the player's annoyance when he clocked that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and even though he exchanged a handshake on his way to the sideline it was clear that the head coach was not impressed.

This is the challenge for Bellingham. He congratulated his teammate for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to score his second goal, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. It's not like complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. Tuchel has talked so much about following squad protocols and the value of behaving correctly.

Facing Examination

Bellingham, omitted from the previous squad, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the fold in the current camp. Practically his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case by reacting to coming off the pitch as England completed a perfect qualifying campaign by overcoming a feisty challenge from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

It means opinions are divided on how England function at their best when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was open to interpretation. There was experimentation by the coach in the beginning. He has provided England a clear system in recent months, using a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but it felt different against Albania. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, Wharton started for the first time internationally and the use of John Stones as a part-time midfielder gave a passing resemblance to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for his teammate during the second half but often looked too desperate to impress. He made many hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with a rival player at the beginning. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. An opportunity for Albania resulted from Bellingham gave the ball away. His booking occurred when he lost the ball from Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately the bench quality made the difference. Tuchel threw on Foden, who appeared more comfortable to the spot occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka whipped in a set-piece for Harry Kane to open the scoring. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations will be crucial next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, the focus was on him. Tuchel walked up from behind and directed the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the away supporters. Their connection is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to discard him at this stage. But if Tuchel is inclined to offer him the central position remains in doubt.