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If Jude Bellingham wants to force his way back into England’s strongest starting eleven, it would be smart to eliminate the nonsense. His reaction upon realizing that his number was about to come up after a match of uneven play in Tirana was not good enough.

"I prefer not to blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the teammates who enter the game," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you need to comply as a player."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no need for a tantrum. Harry Kane had recently scored to make the national team leading by two in a dead rubber match, with only six minutes remaining and he, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for a foul on the Albanian striker. It was not a controversial substitution. Actually it might have been reckless for the head coach to leave Bellingham on considering there was a chance the midfielder would rule himself out of the first match of the tournament by receiving a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight to Himself

Yet Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. There was no disguising the 22-year-old’s annoyance as he realized that his replacement was ready for another player. He threw his arms up and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the sideline it was obvious that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded Rashford for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to nod home the team's second, but his other actions was counterproductive. It's not like complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. Tuchel has stressed repeatedly honoring the team structure and the necessity of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

He, left out of the previous squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the squad in the current camp. Essentially his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case with his response to his substitution as the side completed a flawless qualification run by overcoming a spirited effort from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

This implies it's unclear on how the squad function at their best including Bellingham. What we saw was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel in the beginning. He has provided England organization and direction over the past few matches, using a No 6, a box-to-box player, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but there was a different feel against Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, the midfielder made his first start at this level and the positioning of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder gave a similar look to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for Eberechi Eze during the second half but at times seemed overly eager to shine. He made many poorly executed passes. A pointless clash against an opponent in the early stages. England's play was messy after halftime. One Albania chance came after Bellingham squandered possession. His caution was shown after he was dispossessed to Broja and fouled Broja.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally the squad's strength proved crucial. Tuchel introduced Foden, who seemed better suited to the spot occupied by Bellingham during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka provided a corner kick for Kane to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford's cross for the second goal was a little lost due to the fuss of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, the focus was on Bellingham. Tuchel came over to his side and guided the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the English fans. The bond between them is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to give up on him at this stage. But if the coach is prepared to grant him the central position is not guaranteed.