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For Bellingham to hopes to force his way into the English best team, the smart move to do away with the dramatics. His response when he saw that the substitute board was being shown after a match of uneven play in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to overstate it but I hold to my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the teammates who substitute on," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you need to comply when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a strop. Kane had recently scored to make the national team two goals ahead in a dead rubber match, the game had six minutes to go and Bellingham, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for a foul on Armando Broja. It was not a debatable decision. Actually it might have been reckless for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering there was a chance Bellingham would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the World Cup by getting a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention on Himself

Yet Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. No one could overlook the young midfielder's disappointment upon understanding that he was going to make way for another player. He threw his arms up and although he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the touchline it was obvious that the head coach did not appreciate it.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He congratulated Rashford for delivering the cross for the captain to score his second goal, but his other actions was counterproductive. It is not as if arguing was going to change Tuchel’s mind. 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 previous squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the squad this month. Essentially he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case through his behavior to coming off the pitch as England rounded off a ideal group stage by overcoming a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

Tactics and Formation

It means opinions are divided on how the squad function at their best with Bellingham in the team. The evidence here was open to interpretation. There was experimentation from the manager at the start. He has given England a clear system over the past few matches, building with a holding player, a central midfielder, a playmaker and specialist wingers, but it felt different in this match. The young defender was made his England debut, Adam Wharton started for the first time for England and the positioning of Stones as a part-time midfielder created a faint echo to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He made a chance for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but at times seemed too desperate to impress. There were a lot of rushed, misplaced passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent at the beginning. England were ragged for much of the second half. A scoring chance for the opponents followed Bellingham squandered possession. His caution came after he lost the ball to Broja and brought down Broja.

Substitutes Decide

In the end England’s depth was decisive. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who seemed better suited to the spot in which Bellingham operated during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. Eventually Saka provided a set-piece for Harry Kane to open the scoring. It highlighted that set pieces will be crucial at the World Cup.

Connection Remains

Nevertheless, the focus was on Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the Rogers substitution. After the final whistle, everyone was watching Bellingham. Tuchel walked up behind him and guided the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the travelling England fans. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to give up on the player just yet. But if Tuchel is inclined to grant him the central position is still uncertain.