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If Jude Bellingham aims to force his way into England’s strongest team, it would be smart to cut out the nonsense. The way he reacted when he saw that he was about to come up after an evening of uneven play in Tirana was not good enough.

"I prefer not to overstate it but I hold to my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the teammates who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no call for a strop. Kane had just put the Three Lions leading by two in an inconsequential fixture, with only six minutes remaining and he, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for bringing down an opponent. This was hardly a questionable change. In fact it might have been reckless for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering there was a risk the midfielder would rule himself out of the initial fixture of the World Cup by getting a second yellow card.

Shifting Focus to Himself

However, the player drew all eyes toward himself. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s disappointment when he clocked that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the touchline it was obvious that Tuchel was displeased.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded his teammate for providing the assist for Kane to head in his second goal, but everything else was counterproductive. It is not as if complaining was going to alter the decision. The coach has stressed repeatedly respecting team hierarchies and the value of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, left out of the team last month, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the team in the current camp. Essentially his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case through his behavior to his substitution as the national team wrapped up a flawless qualification run by seeing off a spirited effort from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

As a result opinions are divided on whether England perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. The performance was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things from the manager at the start. He has provided the squad organization and direction in recent months, employing a holding player, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but the approach changed against Albania. Quansah was handed his international debut, the midfielder started for the first time at this level and the positioning of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was passing resemblance to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for his teammate after the break but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. He made many hurried and errant passes. A pointless clash against an opponent in the early stages. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. An opportunity for Albania resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. His booking occurred when he lost the ball to Broja and fouled Broja.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately the bench quality made the difference. The coach brought on Foden, who looked more comfortable to the spot occupied by Bellingham during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka delivered a corner kick for Harry Kane to open the scoring. It highlighted that set pieces will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for the second goal was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the player change. At the end, all eyes were on the midfielder. Tuchel walked up from behind and directed Bellingham towards the away supporters. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on Bellingham yet. But if Tuchel is inclined to grant him a starring role is not guaranteed.