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If Jude Bellingham aims to fight his way into England’s strongest squad, he would be wise to eliminate the dramatics. His reaction when he saw that he was being shown after an evening of inconsistency in Tirana was unacceptable.

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

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no need for an outburst. Kane had only moments earlier made it England 2-0 up in an inconsequential fixture, with only six minutes remaining and he, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for fouling the Albanian striker. It was not a controversial substitution. In fact it would have been foolish for Tuchel to not substitute him because there was a chance the midfielder would be suspended of the first match of the tournament by receiving a another booking.

Turning the Spotlight on Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. There was no disguising the young midfielder's disappointment as he realized that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and although he accepted the coach's hand while heading to the sideline there was no doubt that the manager was displeased.

Here lies the test facing Bellingham. He praised his teammate for delivering the cross for Kane to nod home the team's second, but everything else was harmful to his cause. It's not like arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The German has repeatedly emphasized honoring the team structure and the value of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

He, omitted from the previous squad, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the fold this month. Practically his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case through his behavior to coming off the pitch as the national team completed a flawless qualification run by defeating a feisty challenge from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

This implies opinions are divided on how England operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was not definitive. There was experimentation by the coach in the beginning. Under him, England have gained the team a clear system lately, building with a holding player, a No 8, a No 10 and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel in this match. The young defender was given his first cap, Adam Wharton made his first start for England and the use of the defender as a makeshift midfielder meant there was faint echo to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for Eze after the break but often looked trying too hard. He made many rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash 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 Bellingham gave the ball away. His booking was shown after he lost the ball to Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Substitutes Decide

In the end England’s depth was decisive. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who looked better suited to the spot occupied by Bellingham during the first half, 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 play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was a little lost due to the fuss of the Rogers substitution. At the end, everyone was watching Bellingham. Tuchel walked up behind him and pushed the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the travelling England fans. Their relationship is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to give up on Bellingham yet. Yet whether he is willing to offer him centre stage remains in doubt.