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If Jude Bellingham wants to fight his way once again into the English best team, it would be smart to do away with the dramatics. The way he reacted after noticing that his number was going up after an evening of mixed performance in Tirana was not good enough.

"I’d rather not make more out of it but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect for the squad members who substitute on," Tuchel said. "Decisions are made and you need to comply when you're on the field."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for a strop. Harry Kane had only moments earlier made it the national team 2-0 up in a meaningless qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and the player, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for fouling Armando Broja. It was not a controversial substitution. Indeed it would have been unwise for the manager to leave Bellingham on considering there was a chance he would rule himself out of the opening game of the tournament by picking up a second caution.

Shifting Focus to Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's annoyance as he realized that he would be substituted for another player. His arms went up in exasperation and although he exchanged a handshake on his way to the sideline there was no doubt that the manager was not impressed.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He praised his teammate for delivering the cross for Kane to head in his second of the night, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. It's not like protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. Tuchel has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the value of acting professionally.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, left out of the team last month, has faced close inspection after returning to the team in the current camp. In effect he was being assessed and he hasn't helped his case through his behavior to his substitution as England wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a tough opposition from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

This implies the jury is out on whether the squad perform optimally when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel in the beginning. He has provided the squad structure and clarity in recent months, building with a holding player, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but the approach changed against Albania. The young defender was given his first cap, Wharton made his first start internationally and the use of Stones as a part-time midfielder meant there was faint echo to Manchester City’s historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He set up a shot for Eberechi Eze after the break but at times seemed trying too hard. There were a lot of rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash with an Albania midfielder in the early stages. England's play was messy after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents resulted from Bellingham squandered possession. His caution occurred when he lost the ball by Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally England’s depth proved crucial. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who seemed more comfortable to the position in which Bellingham operated during the first half, and Saka. Later Saka whipped in a set-piece for Kane to score the first goal. It highlighted that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of Rashford's cross for Kane's goal was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the substitution incident. At the end, all eyes were on Bellingham. Tuchel came over behind him and directed the player to acknowledge the English fans. Their connection is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to abandon Bellingham yet. But if the coach is prepared to offer him the central position is still uncertain.