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For Bellingham to wants to force his way once again into the English best squad, he would be wise to cut out the unnecessary reactions. The way he reacted after noticing that his number was about to come up after a match of inconsistency in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect towards the teammates who substitute on," Tuchel said. "Choices are taken and you need to comply as a player."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a tantrum. Harry Kane had just put the national team two goals ahead in a meaningless qualifier, the game had six minutes to go and the player, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for a foul on Armando Broja. It was not a controversial substitution. Actually it would have been foolish for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering there was a chance the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the World Cup by getting a second yellow card.

Turning the Spotlight on Himself

Yet Bellingham made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s disappointment as he realized that he would be substituted for another player. He threw his arms up and even though he exchanged a handshake while heading to the sideline there was no doubt that the manager was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He praised Rashford for sending in the ball for the captain to head in the team's second, but the rest was counterproductive. It's not like arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The German has repeatedly emphasized honoring the team structure and the necessity of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, left out of last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny since coming back to the fold recently. In effect his place has been in question and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to coming off the pitch as England wrapped up a flawless qualification run by seeing off a spirited effort from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

This implies opinions are divided on whether England function at their best with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel in the beginning. Under him, England have gained England structure and clarity in recent months, using a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel against Albania. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, Wharton made his first start internationally and the positioning of the defender as an auxiliary midfielder created a similar look to the Manchester club's team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He set up a shot for Eberechi Eze after the break but at times seemed trying too hard. He made many rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash against an opponent early on. England's play was messy during most of the second period. A scoring chance for the opponents followed he lost the ball cheaply. His booking occurred when an opponent took the ball by Broja and fouled the attacker.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally the bench quality was decisive. The coach brought on Phil Foden, who looked more naturally fitted to the role occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka delivered a set-piece for Harry Kane to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that set pieces will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

Still, though, the focus was on Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford's cross for Kane's goal was partly forgotten amid the drama of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel came over behind him and directed the player in the direction of the away supporters. Their relationship remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to give up on Bellingham yet. But if Tuchel is inclined to grant him centre stage is still uncertain.