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Should Bellingham wants to earn his place back into the English strongest starting eleven, the smart move to eliminate the dramatics. His response after noticing that he was going up following a night of uneven play in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I prefer not to make more out of it but I stand by my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect towards the players who come in," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply as a player."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for an outburst. The captain had only moments earlier made it the national team 2-0 up in an inconsequential fixture, there were six minutes left and the player, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for bringing down the Albanian striker. It was not a questionable change. Indeed it might have been reckless for the head coach to leave Bellingham on given that it was possible he would make himself ineligible of the opening game of the World Cup by receiving a another booking.

Turning the Spotlight to Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's disappointment as he realized that he was going to make way for a teammate. He threw his arms up and while he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the sideline there was no doubt that Tuchel was not impressed.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He praised Marcus Rashford for providing the assist for the captain to head in the team's second, but everything else was counterproductive. It's not like arguing was going to alter the decision. Tuchel has stressed repeatedly honoring the team structure and the importance of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

The midfielder, omitted from the previous squad, is being watched carefully since coming back to the squad in the current camp. In effect his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case by reacting to coming off the pitch as England wrapped up a ideal group stage by overcoming a spirited effort from their opponents.

Tactics and Formation

As a result it's unclear on whether the squad operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. What we saw was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested from the manager in the beginning. He has provided the squad structure and clarity lately, building with a No 6, a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different versus Albania. Jarell Quansah was made his England debut, the midfielder was in the starting lineup for England and the use of Stones as a makeshift midfielder gave a passing resemblance to Manchester City’s historic treble-winning side.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He created an opportunity for Eze after the break but often looked trying too hard. Several hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player at the beginning. England's play was messy during most of the second period. One Albania chance followed Bellingham gave the ball away. His booking came after he was dispossessed from Broja and brought down Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

Finally the squad's strength made the difference. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who looked more comfortable to the role that Bellingham had played during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. Eventually Saka provided a corner for the captain to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

However, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of Rashford's cross for the second goal was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the substitution incident. At the end, everyone was watching the midfielder. The coach approached from behind and directed the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the travelling England fans. Their connection remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to discard the player just yet. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to offer him a starring role is still uncertain.