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Should Bellingham wants to force his way into the English best squad, the smart move to cut out the dramatics. His reaction when he saw that the substitute board was being shown following a night of uneven play in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I prefer not to make more out of it but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the squad members who come in," Tuchel said. "Decisions are made and you must accept them when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for a strop. Harry Kane had just put England 2-0 up in a dead rubber match, with only six minutes remaining and he, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for bringing down the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a questionable change. In fact it would have been unwise for Tuchel to not substitute him because it was possible the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the competition by picking up a second caution.

Shifting Focus 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 although he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the bench it was clear that Tuchel was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He congratulated Rashford for providing the assist for Kane to score his second of the night, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. There was no chance complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the necessity of behaving correctly.

Facing Examination

The midfielder, omitted from last month’s squad, has faced close inspection after returning to the fold in the current camp. Practically he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case with his response to being taken off as England wrapped up a ideal group stage by defeating a feisty challenge from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

It means the jury is out on whether the team perform optimally when Bellingham plays. The performance was open to interpretation. Tuchel tried new things by the coach early on. He has provided the team organization and direction in recent months, employing a defensive midfielder, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but it felt different in this match. Quansah was made his England debut, the midfielder made his first start for England and the positioning of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder gave a similar look to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for his teammate after the break but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. Several poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation against an opponent early on. The team looked disjointed after halftime. One Albania chance resulted from Bellingham squandered possession. His caution was shown after he was dispossessed from Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end England’s depth was decisive. The coach brought on Phil Foden, who looked more naturally fitted to the position occupied by Bellingham during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka provided a corner kick for Kane to open the scoring. It highlighted that set pieces will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of the winger's delivery for the second goal was a little lost due to the fuss of the substitution incident. At the end, everyone was watching the midfielder. Tuchel walked up behind him and guided the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the away supporters. Their connection remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on Bellingham yet. Yet whether the coach is prepared to give him centre stage is not guaranteed.