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Should Bellingham hopes to fight his way once again into England’s top squad, he would be wise to eliminate the nonsense. The way he reacted after noticing that the substitute board was going up after an evening of inconsistency in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the teammates who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply being a professional."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for a tantrum. The captain had only moments earlier made it the national team two goals ahead in a meaningless fixture, there were six minutes left and Bellingham, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for fouling an opponent. It was not a debatable decision. Actually it would have been unwise for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch given that there was a chance he would rule himself out of the first match of the World Cup by getting a second yellow card.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s annoyance upon understanding that he would be substituted for another player. He flung his arms in the air and although he shook Tuchel’s hand after making his way to the bench it was obvious that the manager did not appreciate it.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He praised Rashford for delivering the cross for the captain to head in his second of the night, but everything else was self-defeating. There was no chance arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The German has stressed repeatedly honoring the team structure and the value of acting professionally.

Facing Examination

He, not included in the team last month, is being watched carefully after returning to the squad recently. Practically his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case with his response to being taken off as England rounded off a perfect qualifying campaign by defeating a tough opposition from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

It means opinions are divided on how the squad operate most effectively with Bellingham in the team. The performance was open to interpretation. There was experimentation from Tuchel in the beginning. He has given the squad structure and clarity in recent months, employing a holding player, a central midfielder, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different versus Albania. The young defender was given his first cap, Wharton was in the starting lineup for England and the positioning of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was faint echo to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for Eze in the latter period but at times seemed trying too hard. Several poorly executed passes. A pointless clash against an opponent at the beginning. England's play was messy during most of the second period. A scoring chance for the opponents came after he lost the ball cheaply. His booking occurred when he was dispossessed by Broja and fouled the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

In the end England’s depth made the difference. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who looked better suited to the role occupied by Bellingham during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka whipped in a corner for Harry Kane to score the first goal. It highlighted that corners and free-kicks will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for the second goal was somewhat overlooked amid the drama of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, everyone was watching Bellingham. Tuchel came over to his side and guided Bellingham towards the English fans. Their connection remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to discard him at this stage. Yet whether he is willing to grant him centre stage is not guaranteed.