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For Bellingham to aims to force his way back into England’s top starting eleven, he would be wise to eliminate the dramatics. His reaction upon realizing that he was about to come up after an evening of uneven play in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to overstate it but I hold to my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect towards the players who come in," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you must accept them when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for an outburst. Harry Kane had just put the Three Lions two goals ahead in an inconsequential match, there were six minutes left and the player, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for a foul on Armando Broja. This was hardly a debatable decision. Indeed it would have been foolish for the head coach to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering there was a chance Bellingham would make himself ineligible of the opening game of the tournament by receiving a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight on Himself

Yet Bellingham made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's disappointment upon understanding that his replacement was ready for a teammate. His arms went up in exasperation and although he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the touchline there was no doubt that the manager was displeased.

This is the challenge for Bellingham. He applauded his teammate for sending in the ball for Kane to nod home the team's second, but the rest was self-defeating. There was no chance complaining was going to alter the decision. The German has repeatedly emphasized honoring the team structure and the importance of acting professionally.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, omitted from the previous squad, has faced close inspection upon his return to the team in the current camp. Practically his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case by reacting to coming off the pitch as the side completed a perfect qualifying campaign by defeating a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

Tactics and Formation

It means it's unclear on how England operate most effectively with Bellingham in the team. The performance was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel in the beginning. He has given the team structure and clarity in recent months, building with a No 6, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and specialist wingers, but the approach changed versus Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, the midfielder started for the first time for England and the use of the defender as an auxiliary midfielder gave a passing resemblance to City's 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

His performance was inconsistent. He set up a shot for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but often looked trying too hard. He made many hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder early on. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. A scoring chance for the opponents resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card was shown after an opponent took the ball by Broja and fouled Broja.

Squad Strength Shows

In the end England’s depth proved crucial. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who looked better suited to the role that Bellingham had played during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka delivered a corner for Kane to break the deadlock. It highlighted that corners and free-kicks will be crucial at the World Cup.

Relationship Not Broken

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the player change. After the final whistle, everyone was watching him. The coach approached to his side and guided Bellingham in the direction of the away supporters. Their relationship is not broken. Tuchel hasn't decided to discard him at this stage. Yet whether Tuchel is inclined to grant him centre stage remains in doubt.