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Should Bellingham aims to fight his way into England’s top squad, the smart move to eliminate the dramatics. The way he reacted when he saw that he was about to come up following a night of uneven play in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the teammates who come in," Tuchel said. "Choices are taken and you need to comply as a player."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no need for a strop. Kane had recently scored to make the Three Lions two goals ahead in a meaningless fixture, with only six minutes remaining and he, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for bringing down the Albanian striker. It was not a questionable change. In fact it might have been reckless for the head coach to keep Bellingham on the pitch because there was a risk Bellingham would be suspended of the first match of the competition by picking up a another booking.

Shifting Focus on Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. There was no disguising the young midfielder's annoyance upon understanding that he would be substituted for another player. He threw his arms up and while he exchanged a handshake on his way to the bench it was obvious that the head coach was not impressed.

Here lies the test for Bellingham. He congratulated his teammate for providing the assist for Harry Kane to score the team's second, but everything else was harmful to his cause. 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 previous squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the team recently. Essentially he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to his substitution as the side completed a flawless qualification run by seeing off a feisty challenge from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

This implies opinions are divided on whether England operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was inconclusive. Some new ideas were tested by the coach at the start. He has given the team organization and direction in recent months, building with a No 6, a central midfielder, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different in this match. The young defender was made his England debut, Wharton was in the starting lineup internationally and the use of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder created a passing resemblance to City's historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for Eze after the break but at times seemed trying too hard. There were a lot of poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder early on. England were ragged after halftime. One Albania chance followed he lost the ball cheaply. His caution was shown after he was dispossessed to Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end the bench quality was decisive. The coach brought on Foden, who seemed more naturally fitted to the spot that Bellingham had played in the opening period, and the Arsenal winger. In time Saka whipped in a corner for Harry Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that set pieces are going to be vital next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for Kane's goal was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. At the end, everyone was watching him. Tuchel came over behind him and guided Bellingham towards the away supporters. The bond between them is not broken. The coach isn't ready to abandon the player just yet. However, whether he is willing to grant him a starring role remains in doubt.