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If Jude Bellingham aims to force his way back into England’s top starting eleven, he would be wise to do away with the dramatics. His reaction upon realizing that the substitute board was about to come up following a night of inconsistency in Tirana was not good enough.

"I’d rather not make more out of it but I stand by my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect for the squad members who substitute on," commented the coach. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it as a player."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for an outburst. Kane had just put the national team two goals ahead in an inconsequential match, there were six minutes left and he, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for bringing down Armando Broja. This was hardly a questionable change. Indeed it might have been reckless for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering there was a chance the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the first match of the tournament by picking up a another booking.

Shifting Focus Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the player's annoyance upon understanding that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and while he exchanged a handshake on his way to the touchline there was no doubt that the head coach was displeased.

This is the challenge that Bellingham must overcome. He praised his teammate 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 reverse the substitution. The German has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the necessity of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, not included in last month’s squad, has faced close inspection since coming back to the fold in the current camp. Essentially he has been on trial and he has not done himself any favours by reacting to coming off the pitch as England wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

Tactics and Formation

As a result it's unclear on how England operate most effectively with Bellingham in the team. The performance was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel early on. Under him, England have gained the team a clear system in recent months, employing a defensive midfielder, a No 8, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different versus Albania. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, the midfielder made his first start for England and the role of John Stones as a part-time midfielder created a passing resemblance to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.

Inconsistent Display

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for Eberechi Eze during the second half but at times seemed overly eager to shine. There were a lot of rushed, misplaced passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. The team looked disjointed after halftime. One Albania chance followed Bellingham squandered possession. His booking came after he lost the ball from Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately the squad's strength made the difference. Tuchel introduced Foden, who looked more comfortable to the role that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. In time Saka delivered a corner kick for the captain to open the scoring. It was a reminder that set pieces are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was a little lost amid the drama of the player change. After the final whistle, everyone was watching him. Tuchel walked up from behind and guided Bellingham in the direction of the travelling England fans. Their connection remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to abandon the player just yet. But if he is willing to grant him the central position is not guaranteed.