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Should Bellingham wants to fight his way once again into the English top team, he would be wise to cut out the nonsense. His reaction after noticing that the substitute board was being shown after a match of inconsistency in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I prefer not to blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect towards the players 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 tantrum. Harry Kane had recently scored to make the Three Lions two goals ahead in a meaningless qualifier, the game had six minutes to go and he, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for fouling Armando Broja. This was hardly a questionable change. Indeed it would have been foolish for Tuchel to leave Bellingham on considering there was a risk he would rule himself out of the first match of the World Cup by picking up a another booking.

Drawing Attention on Himself

However, the player drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the player's frustration as he realized that he was going to make way for another player. He flung his arms in the air and while he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the bench it was obvious that Tuchel was displeased.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He praised Rashford for sending in the ball for Kane to score the team's second, but the rest was counterproductive. There was no chance complaining was going to alter the decision. The coach has talked so much about following squad protocols and the necessity of acting professionally.

In the Spotlight

He, left out of last month’s squad, has faced close inspection since coming back to the squad in the current camp. Practically he has been on trial and he has not done himself any favours by reacting to his substitution as England wrapped up a flawless qualification run by defeating a feisty challenge from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

This implies it's unclear on how England function at their best when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things from the manager at the start. He has provided England structure and clarity in recent months, using a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different versus Albania. The young defender was made his England debut, Wharton made his first start internationally and the positioning of John Stones as a part-time midfielder gave a similar look to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He made a chance for Eze during the second half but often looked overly eager to shine. He made many poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder in the early stages. The team looked disjointed after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents resulted from Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card came after he was dispossessed from Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Substitutes Decide

Finally the squad's strength was decisive. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who seemed more naturally fitted to the spot occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka whipped in a corner kick for Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that set pieces are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

However, Bellingham was the story. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was a little lost due to the fuss of the Rogers substitution. At the end, all eyes were on the midfielder. Tuchel walked up from behind and pushed the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the travelling England fans. Their relationship remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to discard him at this stage. Yet whether Tuchel is inclined to grant him the central position is not guaranteed.