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If Jude Bellingham hopes to fight his way once again into the English top team, the smart move to cut out the dramatics. His response after noticing that he was going up after an evening of uneven play in Tirana was not good enough.

"I don’t want to make more out of it but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the players who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply being a professional."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a strop. The captain had just put the Three Lions 2-0 up in a dead rubber fixture, with only six minutes remaining and the player, after a below-par performance, had just been booked for fouling the Albanian striker. It was not a controversial substitution. Indeed it would have been unwise for the head coach to leave Bellingham on given that it was possible the midfielder would rule himself out of the opening game of the tournament by picking up a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. There was no disguising the 22-year-old’s frustration as he realized that he would be substituted for a teammate. He flung his arms in the air and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the touchline it was clear that the manager was displeased.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He congratulated Rashford for delivering the cross for the captain to head in his second of the night, but everything else was harmful to his cause. It is not as if arguing was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has stressed repeatedly respecting team hierarchies and the value of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

He, left out of last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the squad this month. Essentially he was being assessed and he hasn't helped his case by reacting to his substitution as England wrapped up a ideal group stage by overcoming a feisty challenge from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

This implies it's unclear on how England perform optimally including Bellingham. What we saw was open to interpretation. Tuchel tried new things by the coach at the start. He has provided the team organization and direction in recent months, using a No 6, a box-to-box player, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed against Albania. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, Wharton made his first start at this level and the positioning of Stones as a part-time midfielder meant there was passing resemblance to City's 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for Eberechi Eze after the break but frequently appeared trying too hard. Several hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with a rival player at the beginning. England were ragged during most of the second period. An opportunity for Albania came after he lost the ball cheaply. His caution occurred when he was dispossessed to Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately England’s depth proved crucial. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who appeared more naturally fitted to the role occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Saka. Eventually Saka delivered a set-piece for the captain to score the first goal. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the player change. When the match concluded, the focus was on Bellingham. Tuchel came over to his side and guided the player to acknowledge the away supporters. Their relationship is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to abandon the player just yet. Yet whether he is willing to grant him centre stage is not guaranteed.