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For Bellingham to wants to force his way into the English top squad, it would be smart to do away with the dramatics. The way he reacted when he saw that the substitute board was going up after a match of uneven play in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I don’t want to overstate it but I hold to my words 'attitude matters' and respect for the squad members who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you must accept them being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no need for a strop. Harry Kane had just put the national team leading by two in a meaningless match, there were six minutes left and Bellingham, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for fouling the Albanian striker. 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 he would be suspended of the initial fixture of the World Cup by receiving a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight on Himself

But Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. There was no disguising the player's disappointment upon understanding that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and while he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the touchline there was no doubt that the manager was not impressed.

This is the challenge that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded his teammate for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to head in his second of the night, but his other actions was counterproductive. There was no chance complaining was going to reverse the substitution. The German has stressed repeatedly respecting team hierarchies and the importance of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, not included in the previous squad, is being watched carefully since coming back to the team in the current camp. Practically his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case with his response to coming off the pitch as England wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by defeating a spirited effort from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

This implies opinions are divided on whether the team perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was inconclusive. There was experimentation from the manager in the beginning. Under him, England have gained the squad a clear system in recent months, using a holding player, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different versus Albania. The young defender was handed his international debut, Wharton made his first start internationally and the role of the defender as a part-time midfielder gave a similar look to the Manchester club's team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for his teammate in the latter period but frequently appeared overly eager to shine. Several hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. England were ragged after halftime. An opportunity for Albania followed Bellingham squandered possession. The yellow card was shown after he lost the ball to Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

Finally the squad's strength was decisive. The coach brought on the Manchester City player, who appeared more naturally fitted to the role in which Bellingham operated during the first half, and the Arsenal winger. In time Saka provided a set-piece for the captain to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, the focus was on Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for the second goal was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the Rogers substitution. When the match concluded, everyone was watching Bellingham. Tuchel came over to his side and guided the Real Madrid midfielder towards the away supporters. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on him at this stage. But if the coach is prepared to give him a starring role is not guaranteed.