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For Bellingham to wants to earn his place into England’s strongest starting eleven, the smart move to do away with the dramatics. The way he reacted after noticing that the substitute board was about to come up following a night of uneven play in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the players who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Decisions are made and you need to comply when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. It was unnecessary for a tantrum. The captain had only moments earlier made it the national team two goals ahead in a meaningless match, with only six minutes remaining and the player, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for bringing down Armando Broja. This was hardly a controversial substitution. Actually it might have been reckless for the manager to not substitute him because it was possible the midfielder would be suspended of the initial fixture of the competition by getting a second yellow card.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s annoyance upon understanding that his replacement was ready for a teammate. He threw his arms up and even though he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the sideline it was obvious that the head coach was not impressed.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He applauded Marcus Rashford for delivering the cross for Kane to head in his second goal, but the rest was self-defeating. It is not as if protesting was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the value of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

He, left out of the team last month, has faced close inspection since coming back to the squad recently. Essentially he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to being taken off as the national team completed a perfect qualifying campaign by defeating a spirited effort from Albania.

The System and the Setup

As a result it's unclear on whether the team operate most effectively including Bellingham. What we saw was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things from the manager in the beginning. Under him, England have gained the squad organization and direction over the past few matches, using a holding player, a central midfielder, a No 10 and dedicated wide players, but there was a different feel in this match. The young defender was given his first cap, the midfielder made his first start at this level and the positioning of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder gave a similar look to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.

Mixed Performance

His performance was inconsistent. He set up a shot for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but often looked too desperate to impress. He made many hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player early on. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania followed Bellingham squandered possession. His booking came after he was dispossessed to Broja and brought down Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

Ultimately the squad's strength proved crucial. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who appeared more comfortable to the spot in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and Saka. Eventually Saka whipped in a corner kick for Kane to break the deadlock. It highlighted that corners and free-kicks will be crucial at the World Cup.

Bridge Still Stands

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was a little lost due to the fuss of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, everyone was watching Bellingham. The coach approached behind him and directed the Real Madrid midfielder towards the away supporters. Their connection is not damaged. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on Bellingham yet. But if the coach is prepared to offer him centre stage remains in doubt.