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Should Bellingham aims to force his way back into the English best squad, it would be smart to cut out the dramatics. His response upon realizing that his number was being shown following a night of inconsistency in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the teammates who come in," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it being a professional."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. It was unnecessary for a strop. Harry Kane had just put the national team two goals ahead in an inconsequential fixture, with only six minutes remaining and he, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for a foul on an opponent. This could scarcely be called a debatable decision. Indeed it would have been unwise for the head coach to leave Bellingham on considering there was a risk the midfielder would rule himself out of the opening game of the competition by picking up a second caution.

Shifting Focus to Himself

Yet Bellingham made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's frustration when he clocked that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and although he exchanged a handshake while heading to the bench it was obvious that the manager was displeased.

This is the challenge that Bellingham must overcome. He praised Marcus Rashford for providing the assist for Harry Kane to score his second of the night, but the rest was counterproductive. It's not like complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. Tuchel has talked so much about respecting team hierarchies and the importance of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

The midfielder, left out of the previous squad, is being watched carefully after returning to the squad this month. Essentially he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case with his response to coming off the pitch as the side wrapped up a ideal group stage by defeating a tough opposition from Albania.

The System and the Setup

It means the jury is out on whether the squad function at their best with Bellingham in the team. The evidence here was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested by the coach early on. Under him, England have gained the squad a clear system in recent months, using a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, a playmaker and specialist wingers, but it felt different in this match. The young defender was made his England debut, the midfielder started for the first time at this level and the positioning of the defender as a makeshift midfielder created a passing resemblance to City's historic treble-winning side.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for his teammate after the break but often looked overly eager to shine. He made many rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash against an opponent early on. England were ragged after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents came after Bellingham gave the ball away. His booking came after he lost the ball from Broja and fouled the attacker.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end England’s depth proved crucial. Tuchel introduced Foden, who looked better suited to the position that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka provided a corner for the captain to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was somewhat overlooked amid the drama of the player change. After the final whistle, the focus was on Bellingham. The coach approached behind him and pushed Bellingham in the direction of the English fans. Their connection remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to give up on the player just yet. However, whether he is willing to give him the central position is still uncertain.