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If Jude Bellingham hopes to fight his way back into England’s top starting eleven, he would be wise to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. The way he reacted upon realizing that his number was about to come up following a night of mixed performance in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect for the teammates who come in," Tuchel said. "Decisions are made and you must accept them as a player."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. It was unnecessary for a strop. The captain had recently scored to make England leading by two in an inconsequential qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and Bellingham, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for a foul on the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a debatable decision. Actually it would have been unwise for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering it was possible the midfielder would rule himself out of the initial fixture of the tournament by receiving a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight on Himself

Yet Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. There was no disguising the young midfielder's annoyance upon understanding that his replacement was ready for a teammate. He threw his arms up and even though he exchanged a handshake on his way to the bench it was clear that Tuchel was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He applauded Marcus Rashford for providing the assist for Harry Kane to head in the team's second, but the rest was counterproductive. There was no chance complaining was going to alter the decision. The German has talked so much about following squad protocols and the value of showing proper conduct.

In the Spotlight

He, left out of last month’s squad, has faced close inspection upon his return to the team recently. In effect he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours by reacting to coming off the pitch as the national team completed a ideal group stage by overcoming a spirited effort from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

This implies opinions are divided on whether the team perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. The performance was not definitive. There was experimentation by the coach in the beginning. Under him, England have gained the squad structure and clarity in recent months, using a holding player, a central midfielder, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but there was a different feel versus Albania. Quansah was made his England debut, the midfielder was in the starting lineup at this level and the use of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder gave a faint echo to the Manchester club's team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for Eze in the latter period but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania followed he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card came after he was dispossessed by Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

In the end the squad's strength was decisive. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who seemed more naturally fitted to the role occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka provided a set-piece for Kane to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks will be crucial next summer.

Connection Remains

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was a little lost amid the drama of the player change. After the final whistle, all eyes were on him. The coach approached from behind and directed Bellingham towards the travelling England fans. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to abandon him at this stage. But if Tuchel is inclined to offer him a starring role is not guaranteed.