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For Bellingham to aims to force his way once again into England’s top squad, he would be wise to do away with the dramatics. His reaction after noticing that his number was going up after a match of inconsistency in Tirana was not good enough.

"I prefer not to blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the teammates who come in," Tuchel said. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a tantrum. The captain had only moments earlier made it England 2-0 up in a meaningless fixture, the game had six minutes to go and he, after a below-par performance, received a caution for fouling Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a debatable decision. Actually it might have been reckless for the head coach to not substitute him because there was a chance Bellingham would rule himself out of the first match of the World Cup by receiving a second yellow card.

Shifting Focus Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s disappointment upon understanding that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and although he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the sideline there was no doubt that the head coach was not impressed.

This is the challenge for Bellingham. He applauded Marcus Rashford for delivering the cross for Harry Kane to nod home his second of the night, but his other actions was self-defeating. It's not like arguing was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the value of behaving correctly.

Facing Examination

He, left out of last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny since coming back to the team this month. Practically he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to his substitution as the side wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by overcoming a tough opposition from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

As a result it's unclear on whether the team operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. What we saw was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things from the manager in the beginning. He has given England organization and direction over the past few matches, building with a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and specialist wingers, but it felt different versus Albania. Jarell Quansah was given his first cap, Wharton made his first start for England and the use of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was similar look to Manchester City’s historic treble-winning side.

Mixed Performance

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for his teammate in the latter period but at times seemed too desperate to impress. Several rushed, misplaced passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder early on. England were ragged during most of the second period. One Albania chance followed Bellingham squandered possession. His caution was shown after he was dispossessed by Broja and brought down Broja.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately the bench quality proved crucial. The coach brought on Phil Foden, who seemed more comfortable to the role in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka delivered a set-piece for Harry Kane to open the scoring. It was a reminder that set pieces will be crucial next summer.

Connection Remains

However, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of Rashford's cross for Kane's goal was a little lost in the ridiculousness of the Rogers substitution. After the final whistle, the focus was on him. Tuchel walked up to his side and pushed the player in the direction of the English fans. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to abandon him at this stage. Yet whether the coach is prepared to grant him the central position is not guaranteed.