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If Jude Bellingham aims to fight his way once again into the English top starting eleven, he would be wise to cut out the dramatics. His response upon realizing that he was about to come up following a night of uneven play in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I prefer not to overstate it but I hold to my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect for the players who come in," Tuchel said. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it being a professional."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a strop. Kane had just put England 2-0 up in a meaningless fixture, there were six minutes left and he, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for fouling an opponent. This was hardly a debatable decision. Indeed it would have been foolish for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch because there was a chance Bellingham would be suspended of the opening game of the competition by getting a second caution.

Drawing Attention on Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. There was no disguising the player's annoyance as he realized that his replacement was ready for another player. His arms went up in exasperation and while he shook Tuchel’s hand while heading to the bench it was clear that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

This is the challenge that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded his teammate for delivering the cross for Harry Kane to nod home the team's second, but the rest was harmful to his cause. It's not like protesting was going to alter the decision. The German has stressed repeatedly honoring the team structure and the importance of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

He, omitted from the team last month, is being watched carefully since coming back to the team recently. In effect his place has been in question and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to his substitution as the national team rounded off a perfect qualifying campaign by defeating a spirited effort from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

It means it's unclear on how England function at their best when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was open to interpretation. Tuchel tried new things from the manager at the start. Under him, England have gained the squad structure and clarity over the past few matches, employing a No 6, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different in this match. The young defender was made his England debut, the midfielder was in the starting lineup for England and the use of John Stones as a part-time midfielder gave a faint echo to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He set up a shot for Eberechi Eze after the break but at times seemed overly eager to shine. Several rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash against an opponent early on. England were ragged for much of the second half. One Albania chance followed he lost the ball cheaply. His booking occurred when an opponent took the ball to Broja and fouled the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

In the end the squad's strength made the difference. Tuchel threw on Foden, who seemed more naturally fitted to the spot that Bellingham had played during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka whipped in a corner kick for the captain to score the first goal. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

Still, though, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of Rashford's cross for the second goal was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the Rogers substitution. When the match concluded, everyone was watching the midfielder. Tuchel came over to his side and pushed the Real Madrid midfielder towards the travelling England fans. The bond between them remains intact. The coach isn't ready to discard him at this stage. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to grant him the central position is not guaranteed.