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If Jude Bellingham aims to fight his way back into the English strongest squad, it would be smart to do away with the nonsense. The way he reacted when he saw that his number was being shown following a night of uneven play in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the teammates who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you need to comply as a player."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. It was unnecessary for a strop. Harry Kane had just put England 2-0 up in a meaningless match, the game had six minutes to go and he, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for a foul on Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a questionable change. In fact it would have been foolish for the head coach to leave Bellingham on considering there was a chance he would make himself ineligible of the opening game of the World Cup by getting a another booking.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. There was no disguising the player's annoyance upon understanding that his replacement was ready for another player. He flung his arms in the air and although he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the touchline it was obvious that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

Here lies the test for Bellingham. He congratulated Marcus Rashford for providing the assist for the captain to nod home the team's second, but his other actions was self-defeating. It is not as if complaining was going to alter the decision. Tuchel has repeatedly emphasized honoring the team structure and the value of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

The midfielder, omitted from the previous squad, has faced close inspection since coming back to the squad in the current camp. Practically he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to being taken off as the side completed a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a feisty challenge from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

As a result the jury is out on if the team function at their best with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel at the start. Under him, England have gained the squad a clear system over the past few matches, using a No 6, a No 8, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed in this match. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, Wharton was in the starting lineup for England and the role of Stones as a part-time midfielder created a faint echo to City's 2023 treble winners.

Mixed Performance

His performance was inconsistent. He made a chance for Eze after the break but at times seemed too desperate to impress. Several poorly executed passes. A pointless clash with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. England were ragged during most of the second period. A scoring chance for the opponents came after he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card was shown after an opponent took the ball from Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Finally England’s depth proved crucial. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who seemed more naturally fitted to the role in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka whipped in a corner for Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks will play a key role next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of the winger's delivery for Kane's goal was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the player change. After the final whistle, everyone was watching Bellingham. Tuchel walked up from behind and guided the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the English fans. Their relationship is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to discard Bellingham yet. Yet whether the coach is prepared to give him a starring role remains in doubt.