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For Bellingham to aims to force his way once again into the English top team, the smart move to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. His reaction after noticing that his number was about to come up following a night of inconsistency in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"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 must accept them as a player."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no call for a tantrum. Kane had recently scored to make the Three Lions two goals ahead in a meaningless match, with only six minutes remaining and the player, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for bringing down the Albanian striker. This was hardly a questionable change. In fact it would have been unwise for the head coach to not substitute him given that there was a chance the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the opening game of the competition by picking up a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight to Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. There was no disguising the player's frustration upon understanding that he would be substituted for a teammate. He flung his arms in the air and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the sideline it was clear that the head coach did not appreciate it.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He praised Rashford for delivering the cross for the captain to score his second goal, but his other actions was self-defeating. It's not like arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The German has talked so much about following squad protocols and the importance of showing proper conduct.

In the Spotlight

He, omitted from last month’s squad, has faced close inspection upon his return to the fold this month. Practically he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to coming off the pitch as the national team wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by overcoming a tough opposition from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

As a result it's unclear on if the squad operate most effectively including Bellingham. The evidence here was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel in the beginning. Under him, England have gained England organization and direction lately, building with a No 6, a central midfielder, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but it felt different versus Albania. The young defender was handed his international debut, Wharton was in the starting lineup at this level and the role of John Stones as a part-time midfielder gave a faint echo to the Manchester club's team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for Eze during the second half but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. There were a lot of poorly executed passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with a rival player at the beginning. England were ragged after halftime. One Albania chance resulted from Bellingham gave the ball away. His caution came after an opponent took the ball by Broja and fouled Broja.

Squad Strength Shows

In the end the squad's strength was decisive. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who looked more naturally fitted to the spot occupied by Bellingham during the first half, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka delivered a set-piece for the captain to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations will be crucial next summer.

Connection Remains

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for the second goal was a little lost amid the drama of the player change. At the end, the focus was on Bellingham. Tuchel came over to his side and directed the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the away supporters. The bond between them is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to give up on Bellingham yet. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to grant him the central position is still uncertain.