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If Jude Bellingham hopes to force his way back into England’s top team, the smart move to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. The way he reacted when he saw that the substitute board was going up after an evening of mixed performance in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to overstate it but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the squad members who enter the game," stated Tuchel. "Decisions are made and you must accept them as a player."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no call for a strop. Kane had recently scored to make England leading by two in a dead rubber fixture, with only six minutes remaining and he, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for bringing down an opponent. This was hardly a debatable decision. Actually it would have been unwise for the manager to not substitute him given that there was a risk Bellingham would rule himself out of the first match of the World Cup by receiving a another booking.

Shifting Focus Upon Himself

But Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. No one could overlook the player's frustration upon understanding that he was going to make way for a teammate. He threw his arms up and even though he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the touchline it was clear that Tuchel was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He praised his teammate for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to nod home the team's second, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. There was no chance arguing was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The German has talked so much about following squad protocols and the importance of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, not included in last month’s squad, is being watched carefully upon his return to the squad 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 England completed a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a spirited effort from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

As a result opinions are divided on whether England perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. The evidence here was open to interpretation. Tuchel tried new things by the coach in the beginning. He has given England structure and clarity over the past few matches, using a No 6, a central midfielder, a No 10 and dedicated wide players, but it felt different in this match. The young defender was given his first cap, the midfielder started for the first time at this level and the role of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was similar look to City's historic treble-winning side.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham had ups and downs. He set up a shot for Eze in the latter period but often looked too desperate to impress. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder early on. England were ragged during most of the second period. One Albania chance resulted from Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card was shown after an opponent took the ball by Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Substitutes Decide

In the end England’s depth was decisive. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who appeared more comfortable to the role in which Bellingham operated during the first half, and Saka. Eventually Saka provided a set-piece for Harry Kane to score the first goal. It highlighted that corners and free-kicks will play a key role at the World Cup.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, Bellingham was the story. The quality of Rashford’s assist for Kane's goal was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the Rogers substitution. After the final whistle, all eyes were on the midfielder. Tuchel walked up from behind and directed the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the away supporters. Their connection is not damaged. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on Bellingham yet. But if he is willing to give him the central position remains in doubt.