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If Jude Bellingham aims to earn his place once again into the English strongest squad, the smart move to do away with the nonsense. The way he reacted when he saw that his number was going up following a night of uneven play in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to overstate it but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the players who substitute on," Tuchel said. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no need for a strop. The captain had only moments earlier made it the national team leading by two in a dead rubber fixture, there were six minutes left and he, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for fouling Armando Broja. This was hardly a controversial substitution. In fact it would have been foolish for the manager to not substitute him because there was a risk the midfielder would rule himself out of the first match of the competition by getting a another booking.

Turning the Spotlight on Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. There was no disguising the young midfielder's annoyance upon understanding that his replacement was ready for a teammate. His arms went up in exasperation and even though he accepted the coach's hand while heading to the sideline there was no doubt that the head coach was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He praised Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to head in his second of the night, but the rest was harmful to his cause. There was no chance complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has repeatedly emphasized following squad protocols and the value of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

Bellingham, omitted from the team last month, has faced close inspection 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 the side completed a flawless qualification run by defeating a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

Tactics and Formation

It means it's unclear on if the squad operate most effectively with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel in the beginning. Under him, England have gained the squad organization and direction lately, building with a No 6, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different versus Albania. Jarell Quansah was made his England debut, Wharton was in the starting lineup for England and the use of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was similar look to City's 2023 treble winners.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. He made many poorly executed passes. A pointless clash with an Albania midfielder in the early stages. England's play was messy after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents followed Bellingham squandered possession. The yellow card was shown after an opponent took the ball from Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

Finally the squad's strength was decisive. Tuchel introduced Foden, who appeared more comfortable to the role occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka delivered a corner for Harry Kane to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that set pieces are going to be vital next summer.

Connection Remains

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The excellence of Rashford's cross for Kane's goal was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, all eyes were on him. Tuchel came over behind him and directed the player in the direction of the travelling England fans. Their connection is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to give up on him at this stage. Yet whether Tuchel is inclined to grant him the central position remains in doubt.