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If Jude Bellingham hopes to force his way into the English strongest team, he would be wise to do away with the nonsense. His response after noticing that his number was going up after a match of inconsistency in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to make more out of it but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the squad members who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply as a player."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for an outburst. The captain had recently scored to make England leading by two in a dead rubber match, the game had six minutes to go and the player, after a below-par performance, had just been booked for bringing down Armando Broja. This was hardly a controversial substitution. Actually it might have been reckless for Tuchel to not substitute him because it was possible Bellingham would be suspended of the initial fixture of the World Cup by getting a second caution.

Drawing Attention on Himself

Yet Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. No one could overlook the young midfielder's annoyance upon understanding that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand while heading to the bench it was obvious that Tuchel was not impressed.

This is the challenge for Bellingham. He praised Rashford for delivering the cross for the captain to head in his second of the night, but everything else was counterproductive. There was no chance arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has talked so much about respecting team hierarchies and the necessity of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, not included in the team last month, has been under scrutiny since coming back to the team recently. Essentially his place has been in question and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to his substitution as the side rounded off a perfect qualifying campaign by overcoming a spirited effort from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

It means opinions are divided on how the squad operate most effectively with Bellingham in the team. The performance was open to interpretation. Tuchel tried new things by the coach at the start. Under him, England have gained England a clear system lately, building with a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but it felt different versus Albania. The young defender was given his first cap, the midfielder made his first start at this level and the use of John Stones as a part-time midfielder gave a similar look to Manchester City’s 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for Eze during the second half but at times seemed trying too hard. He made many poorly executed passes. A pointless clash with a rival player early on. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. An opportunity for Albania followed Bellingham squandered possession. The yellow card occurred when an opponent took the ball to Broja and fouled Broja.

Substitutes Decide

Finally the squad's strength was decisive. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who looked more naturally fitted to the role that Bellingham had played in the opening period, and the Arsenal winger. In time Saka whipped in a set-piece for the captain to score the first goal. It was a reminder that set pieces are going to be vital at the World Cup.

Connection Remains

Nevertheless, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was a little lost in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. At the end, the focus was on him. Tuchel came over behind him and directed the player to acknowledge the travelling England fans. Their relationship is not damaged. Tuchel hasn't decided to discard Bellingham yet. Yet whether Tuchel is inclined to grant him the central position is still uncertain.