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Should Bellingham aims to force his way once again into England’s best starting eleven, he would be wise to do away with the dramatics. His reaction when he saw that he was about to come up following a night of mixed performance in Tirana was not good enough.

"I don’t want to make more out of it but I hold to my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect for the squad members who come in," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you must accept them being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for a strop. The captain had recently scored to make the Three Lions two goals ahead in an inconsequential match, the game had six minutes to go and he, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for a foul on the Albanian striker. It was not a controversial substitution. Actually it might have been reckless for Tuchel to not substitute him because there was a chance he would make himself ineligible of the first match of the tournament by receiving a second caution.

Shifting Focus on Himself

Yet Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. No one could overlook the young midfielder's annoyance as he realized that he would be substituted for another player. He threw his arms up and even though he exchanged a handshake after making his way to the touchline it was obvious that Tuchel was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He congratulated his teammate for sending in the ball for the captain to head in the team's second, but his other actions was self-defeating. There was no chance arguing was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The German has stressed repeatedly respecting team hierarchies and the value of acting professionally.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, left out of the team last month, has faced close inspection after returning to the fold recently. In effect his place has been in question and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to his substitution as the national team wrapped up a flawless qualification run by defeating a spirited effort from their opponents.

Tactics and Formation

This implies the jury is out on whether the squad function at their best including Bellingham. What we saw was not definitive. There was experimentation from Tuchel early on. He has given the squad structure and clarity in recent months, using a holding player, a central midfielder, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed versus Albania. Quansah was made his England debut, the midfielder started for the first time at this level and the role of Stones as a part-time midfielder gave a passing resemblance to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for Eze after the break but at times seemed trying too hard. Several poorly executed passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with a rival player in the early stages. England were ragged for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania came after Bellingham squandered possession. His booking was shown after he lost the ball by Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Substitutes Decide

Finally the bench quality proved crucial. The coach brought on the Manchester City player, who looked more naturally fitted to the spot occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka whipped in a set-piece for the captain to score the first goal. It was a reminder that set pieces will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, the focus was on Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. At the end, the focus was on him. The coach approached from behind and directed the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the English fans. Their connection is not broken. The coach isn't ready to discard him at this stage. However, whether he is willing to give him the central position remains in doubt.