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For Bellingham to wants to force his way into England’s best team, the smart move to cut out the nonsense. His response upon realizing that his number was being shown following a night of inconsistency in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not make more out of it but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect for the squad members who enter the game," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you must accept them when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no need for a strop. Kane had only moments earlier made it England leading by two in a dead rubber fixture, there were six minutes left and the player, who had not played particularly well, received a caution for bringing down Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a debatable decision. In fact it would have been unwise for the head coach to leave Bellingham on given that it was possible the midfielder would be suspended of the initial fixture of the competition by receiving a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's annoyance upon understanding that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and although he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the bench there was no doubt that the head coach was displeased.

Here lies the test for Bellingham. He applauded Rashford for delivering the cross for the captain to score the team's second, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. It's not like complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The German has repeatedly emphasized following squad protocols and the value of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

The midfielder, left out of last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny since coming back to the team this month. Essentially he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case with his response to his substitution as the national team rounded off a flawless qualification run by overcoming a feisty challenge from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

It means the jury is out on whether the team perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. The performance was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things from the manager in the beginning. Under him, England have gained the team structure and clarity in recent months, employing a No 6, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel against Albania. Jarell Quansah was made his England debut, the midfielder made his first start for England and the positioning of Stones as a makeshift midfielder created a faint echo to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. There were a lot of rushed, misplaced passes. An unnecessary confrontation against an opponent at the beginning. England's play was messy after halftime. One Albania chance came after Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card occurred when he was dispossessed by Broja and fouled the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Finally the squad's strength was decisive. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who seemed more comfortable to the position in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. In time Saka provided a set-piece for Kane to open the scoring. It highlighted that dead-ball situations will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

Still, though, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the Rogers substitution. At the end, all eyes were on him. Tuchel walked up to his side and directed Bellingham to acknowledge the English fans. Their connection is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to give up on Bellingham yet. But if Tuchel is inclined to give him centre stage is not guaranteed.