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Should Bellingham hopes to earn his place into England’s strongest starting eleven, the smart move to eliminate the dramatics. The way he reacted when he saw that his number was about to come up after an evening of inconsistency in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I prefer not to make more out of it but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and respect for the teammates who enter the game," commented the coach. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it being a professional."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for an outburst. Harry Kane had only moments earlier made it England leading by two in a dead rubber match, there were six minutes left and the player, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for bringing down an opponent. It was not a questionable change. Actually it might have been reckless for Tuchel to not substitute him because there was a chance Bellingham would make himself ineligible of the first match of the World Cup by getting a another booking.

Shifting Focus Upon Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s annoyance as he realized that his replacement was ready for a teammate. His arms went up in exasperation and although he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the touchline there was no doubt that the manager did not appreciate it.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He praised Rashford for providing the assist for the captain to head in his second of the night, but his other actions was self-defeating. There was no chance complaining was going to alter the decision. The coach has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the value of acting professionally.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, left out of the team last month, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the team in the current camp. Practically he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case with his response to being taken off as the national team completed a flawless qualification run by defeating a tough opposition from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

It means the jury is out on how England operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. The performance was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested from the manager early on. Under him, England have gained the team organization and direction in recent months, using a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but there was a different feel in this match. Quansah was given his first cap, the midfielder made his first start for England and the role of Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was passing resemblance to City's 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He set up a shot for Eberechi Eze during the second half but at times seemed overly eager to shine. Several poorly executed passes. A pointless clash with a rival player early on. The team looked disjointed after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. His caution was shown after an opponent took the ball from Broja and brought down the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately the squad's strength made the difference. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who appeared more naturally fitted to the position in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and Saka. Later Saka provided a corner kick for Harry Kane to score the first goal. It highlighted that set pieces will be crucial at the World Cup.

Connection Remains

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The excellence of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, the focus was on Bellingham. The coach approached from behind and directed the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the travelling England fans. Their connection remains intact. The coach isn't ready to abandon Bellingham yet. However, whether the coach is prepared to offer him a starring role is not guaranteed.