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Should Bellingham wants to fight his way once again into England’s strongest squad, he would be wise to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. His response after noticing that the substitute board was about to come up after a match of mixed performance in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not make more out of it but I hold to my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the teammates who enter the game," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it being a professional."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a tantrum. Harry Kane had just put the Three Lions two goals ahead in a meaningless qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and he, after a below-par performance, had just been booked for bringing down an opponent. This could scarcely be called a debatable decision. Indeed it would have been foolish for the manager to not substitute him given that there was a chance the midfielder would be suspended of the initial fixture of the tournament by picking up a second yellow card.

Shifting Focus on Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s disappointment as he realized that his replacement was ready for another player. He flung his arms in the air and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the bench it was clear that Tuchel was displeased.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He praised Rashford for delivering the cross for the captain to nod home the team's second, but everything else was harmful to his cause. There was no chance protesting was going to alter the decision. The coach has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the necessity of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, left out of the team last month, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the squad recently. Essentially he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to his substitution as the national team completed a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a feisty challenge from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

It means the jury is out on if the team perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. The performance was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel early on. He has provided the squad a clear system over the past few matches, using a holding player, a box-to-box player, an attacking midfielder and specialist wingers, but the approach changed versus Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, the midfielder made his first start for England and the positioning of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder created a passing resemblance to the Manchester club's team that won three trophies.

Mixed Performance

His performance was inconsistent. He made a chance for his teammate after the break but at times seemed too desperate to impress. Several poorly executed passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent in the early stages. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. One Albania chance resulted from Bellingham gave the ball away. His caution was shown after he was dispossessed to Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately England’s depth made the difference. The coach brought on the Manchester City player, who appeared better suited to the spot that Bellingham had played in the opening period, and Saka. Later Saka whipped in a corner for Harry Kane to score the first goal. It highlighted that corners and free-kicks will be crucial at the World Cup.

Connection Remains

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the player change. When the match concluded, the focus was on Bellingham. Tuchel came over from behind and guided Bellingham towards the English fans. The bond between them is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to discard Bellingham yet. However, whether the coach is prepared to grant him the central position is not guaranteed.