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For Bellingham to hopes to fight his way back into England’s strongest squad, he would be wise to do away with the unnecessary reactions. His response when he saw that he was about to come up after an evening of mixed performance in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I prefer not to blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the players who come in," commented the coach. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no need for a tantrum. The captain had recently scored to make the Three Lions 2-0 up in an inconsequential match, there were six minutes left and the player, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for fouling the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a questionable change. Actually it might have been reckless for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch because it was possible the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the opening game of the World Cup by picking up a another booking.

Shifting Focus Upon Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. There was no disguising the 22-year-old’s disappointment upon understanding that he was going to make way for another player. He flung his arms in the air and even though he accepted the coach's hand while heading to the sideline it was clear that the head coach was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He congratulated Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for the captain to score his second of the night, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. There was no chance protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has stressed repeatedly honoring the team structure and the value of behaving correctly.

Facing Examination

The midfielder, not included in the team last month, has faced close inspection after returning to the fold in the current camp. In effect his place has been in question and he has not done himself any favours with his response to coming off the pitch as England wrapped up a ideal group stage by seeing off a feisty challenge from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

It means opinions are divided on if the squad operate most effectively including Bellingham. The performance was inconclusive. Some new ideas were tested by the coach at the start. Under him, England have gained England structure and clarity over the past few matches, using a holding player, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but it felt different against Albania. Jarell Quansah was made his England debut, the midfielder started for the first time for England and the role of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was passing resemblance to City's historic treble-winning side.

Mixed Performance

His performance was inconsistent. He made a chance for his teammate after the break but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. Several rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash against an opponent early on. England were ragged during most of the second period. An opportunity for Albania resulted from Bellingham gave the ball away. His booking was shown after he lost the ball to Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end England’s depth proved crucial. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who looked more comfortable to the position in which Bellingham operated during the first half, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka provided a set-piece for Kane to open the scoring. It was a reminder that set pieces will be crucial at the World Cup.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford's cross for the second goal was somewhat overlooked amid the drama of the substitution incident. At the end, the focus was on the midfielder. The coach approached to his side and directed the player to acknowledge the travelling England fans. Their connection remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to give up on Bellingham yet. However, whether he is willing to grant him centre stage remains in doubt.