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Should Bellingham wants to force his way into the English strongest team, it would be smart to eliminate the nonsense. His response after noticing that his number was going up following a night of uneven play in Tirana was not good enough.

"I don’t want to make more out of it but I hold to my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the players who substitute on," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you must accept them when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no need for a strop. The captain had recently scored to make England two goals ahead in a meaningless fixture, the game had six minutes to go and the player, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for a foul on Armando Broja. It was not a debatable decision. In fact it would have been unwise for Tuchel to leave Bellingham on given that there was a chance the midfielder would rule himself out of the first match of the tournament by getting a another booking.

Shifting Focus on Himself

However, the player turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's annoyance when he clocked that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and although he exchanged a handshake after making his way to the bench there was no doubt that the manager was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded Rashford for delivering the cross for Harry Kane to head in his second goal, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. It's not like complaining was going to reverse the substitution. The German has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the necessity of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

Bellingham, omitted from last month’s squad, is being watched carefully upon his return to the team recently. Essentially he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to being taken off as the national team wrapped up a flawless qualification run by seeing off a spirited effort from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

This implies opinions are divided on whether the team perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. The evidence here was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested by the coach at the start. He has given the team structure and clarity over the past few matches, building with a No 6, a central midfielder, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different in this match. Quansah was handed his international debut, Wharton was in the starting lineup internationally and the use of John Stones as a part-time midfielder meant there was similar look to the Manchester club's team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He set up a shot for Eze during the second half but at times seemed trying too hard. He made many poorly executed passes. A pointless clash against an opponent early on. England were ragged for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania resulted from Bellingham squandered possession. The yellow card was shown after an opponent took the ball from Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end the bench quality proved crucial. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who seemed better suited to the role in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and Saka. In time Saka whipped in a corner for the captain to score the first goal. It highlighted that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

Nevertheless, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the player change. When the match concluded, everyone was watching him. Tuchel walked up to his side and pushed the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the English fans. The bond between them is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to give up on the player just yet. But if Tuchel is inclined to offer him the central position remains in doubt.