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For Bellingham to wants to fight his way once again into the English best team, the smart move to do away with the unnecessary reactions. The way he reacted after noticing that his number was about to come up after a match of mixed performance in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I prefer not to make more out of it but I hold to my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the teammates who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply as a player."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no call for an outburst. The captain had just put the national team leading by two in an inconsequential match, with only six minutes remaining and Bellingham, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for a foul on Armando Broja. It was not a debatable decision. In fact it would have been foolish for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch given that there was a chance Bellingham would be suspended of the first match of the competition by picking up a another booking.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's frustration when he clocked that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and even though he exchanged a handshake on his way to the bench there was no doubt that the head coach did not appreciate it.

This is the challenge that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded Rashford for sending in the ball for the captain to nod home the team's second, but his other actions was self-defeating. It's not like arguing was going to alter the decision. Tuchel has stressed repeatedly honoring the team structure and the importance of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

He, not included in the previous squad, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the team this month. Essentially he has been on trial and he has not done himself any favours with his response to being taken off as the side rounded off a perfect qualifying campaign by overcoming a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

Tactics and Formation

As a result opinions are divided on whether England operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. What we saw was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel in the beginning. He has given the squad structure and clarity over the past few matches, building with a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel against Albania. The young defender was handed his international debut, Wharton was in the starting lineup for England and the role of the defender as an auxiliary midfielder gave a faint echo to City's historic treble-winning side.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for his teammate after the break but at times seemed trying too hard. There were a lot of rushed, misplaced passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with a rival player at the beginning. England's play was messy during most of the second period. A scoring chance for the opponents followed Bellingham squandered possession. His booking came after an opponent took the ball by Broja and brought down the attacker.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally the bench quality made the difference. Tuchel introduced Foden, who looked more naturally fitted to the spot occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka provided a set-piece for the captain to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations will be crucial at the World Cup.

Connection Remains

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for Kane's goal was partly forgotten amid the drama of the player change. At the end, the focus was on the midfielder. The coach approached to his side and pushed the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the English fans. The bond between them remains intact. The coach isn't ready to discard the player just yet. However, whether the coach is prepared to grant him the central position remains in doubt.