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If Jude Bellingham wants to fight his way once again into England’s top squad, it would be smart to eliminate the dramatics. His response after noticing that he was being shown after a match of mixed performance in Tirana was not good enough.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the squad members who come in," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no call for a tantrum. The captain had just put the national team two goals ahead in a dead rubber qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and the player, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for bringing down Armando Broja. This was hardly a questionable change. In fact it might have been reckless for the head coach to not substitute him given that it was possible the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the first match of the tournament by getting a second yellow card.

Shifting Focus on Himself

However, the player turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the player's frustration when he clocked that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and although he shook Tuchel’s hand after making his way to the bench it was clear that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

This is the challenge that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded Rashford for delivering the cross for Kane to nod home his second of the night, but the rest was counterproductive. There was no chance complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. Tuchel has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the importance of acting professionally.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, not included in the previous squad, is being watched carefully upon his return to the fold in the current camp. Practically he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours through his behavior to coming off the pitch as the national team wrapped up a flawless qualification run by overcoming a feisty challenge from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

This implies it's unclear on if the team perform optimally including Bellingham. The performance was inconclusive. There was experimentation from the manager in the beginning. Under him, England have gained England organization and direction lately, building with a No 6, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different against Albania. Quansah was handed his international debut, the midfielder made his first start at this level and the positioning of the defender as a makeshift midfielder created a faint echo to City's team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He made a chance for his teammate in the latter period but at times seemed too desperate to impress. He made many hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player at the beginning. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. An opportunity for Albania resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. His caution came after he lost the ball from Broja and fouled Broja.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately the squad's strength made the difference. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who looked more naturally fitted to the role occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Saka. Later Saka delivered a corner kick for the captain to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks will play a key role at the World Cup.

Bridge Still Stands

However, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of Rashford's cross for the second goal was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel came over behind him and guided Bellingham to acknowledge the English fans. Their relationship is not broken. Tuchel hasn't decided to discard him at this stage. But if he is willing to offer him a starring role is still uncertain.