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If Jude Bellingham hopes to earn his place back into England’s top squad, it would be smart to cut out the nonsense. His response upon realizing that the substitute board was being shown following a night of uneven play in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the players who enter the game," commented the coach. "Choices are taken and you need to comply being a professional."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. It was unnecessary for a strop. The captain had recently scored to make England leading by two in an inconsequential match, the game had six minutes to go and he, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for a foul on the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a questionable change. In fact it would have been foolish for the head coach to keep Bellingham on the pitch because there was a risk the midfielder would be suspended of the first match of the World Cup by receiving a another booking.

Shifting Focus to Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the player's disappointment upon understanding that he was going to make way for a teammate. His arms went up in exasperation and while he accepted the coach's hand while heading to the sideline there was no doubt that the head coach was displeased.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He congratulated Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for the captain to head in his second goal, but everything else was counterproductive. There was no chance protesting was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has talked so much about respecting team hierarchies and the necessity of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

The midfielder, not included in the team last month, has faced close inspection after returning to the squad in the current camp. Practically he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to coming off the pitch as the side wrapped up a flawless qualification run by defeating a spirited effort from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

This implies opinions are divided on if the team function at their best including Bellingham. The evidence here was open to interpretation. There was experimentation from the manager early on. Under him, England have gained the squad organization and direction over the past few matches, employing a holding player, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but the approach changed in this match. The young defender was made his England debut, Adam Wharton made his first start at this level and the positioning of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder created a passing resemblance to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He made a chance for Eberechi Eze after the break but at times seemed overly eager to shine. There were a lot of poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player at the beginning. England's play was messy for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card was shown after he lost the ball from Broja and fouled the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately England’s depth was decisive. Tuchel threw on Foden, who looked better suited to the role occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka provided a corner for the captain to score the first goal. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for Kane's goal was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the player change. At the end, everyone was watching the midfielder. Tuchel walked up to his side and directed the player in the direction of the away supporters. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to give up on him at this stage. Yet whether he is willing to grant him a starring role is still uncertain.