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For Bellingham to aims to force his way back into England’s best starting eleven, he would be wise to do away with the unnecessary reactions. His reaction after noticing that his number was going up after a match of inconsistency in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not overstate it but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the players who come in," Tuchel said. "Choices are taken and you must accept them when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for an outburst. The captain had only moments earlier made it the national team 2-0 up in an inconsequential fixture, there were six minutes left and the player, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for a foul on Armando Broja. This was hardly a controversial substitution. Indeed it would have been foolish for the manager to not substitute him because there was a risk he would be suspended of the opening game of the tournament by picking up a second caution.

Shifting Focus Upon Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. No one could overlook the young midfielder's annoyance when he clocked that his replacement was ready for another player. His arms went up in exasperation and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand while heading to the bench it was obvious that the head coach was not impressed.

Here lies the test for Bellingham. He applauded his teammate for delivering the cross for the captain to head in his second of the night, but his other actions was counterproductive. It is not as if arguing was going to alter the decision. Tuchel has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the importance of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, not included in last month’s squad, has faced close inspection after returning to the fold in the current camp. In effect his place has been in question and he has not done himself any favours by reacting to being taken off as the side wrapped up a flawless qualification run by seeing off a feisty challenge from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

It means the jury is out on whether the squad perform optimally including Bellingham. The evidence here was not definitive. There was experimentation from the manager early on. He has provided England organization and direction in recent months, employing a holding player, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and dedicated wide players, but the approach changed against Albania. Jarell Quansah was made his England debut, the midfielder was in the starting lineup internationally and the role of the defender as a part-time midfielder gave a passing resemblance to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for Eberechi Eze during the second half but often looked trying too hard. Several hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation against an opponent 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 booking was shown after he was dispossessed by Broja and fouled the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end the squad's strength was decisive. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who appeared more comfortable to the role in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. Eventually Saka whipped in a corner for Kane to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for the second goal was a little lost amid the drama of the player change. At the end, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel walked up from behind and guided the player to acknowledge the English fans. Their relationship is not broken. The coach isn't ready to abandon the player just yet. But if he is willing to grant him the central position is still uncertain.