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If Jude Bellingham aims to fight his way once again into England’s top starting eleven, the smart move to do away with the unnecessary reactions. His response after noticing that his number was being shown after an evening of inconsistency in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to overstate it but I stick to my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the teammates who come in," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no call for a strop. The captain had just put the Three Lions two goals ahead in a dead rubber fixture, the game had six minutes to go and he, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for fouling the Albanian striker. This was hardly a questionable change. Indeed it would have been foolish for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch because it was possible the midfielder would be suspended of the first match of the tournament by picking up a second yellow card.

Turning the Spotlight to Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. No one could overlook the young midfielder's disappointment as he realized that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and while he exchanged a handshake after making his way to the touchline it was obvious that Tuchel was displeased.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He congratulated his teammate for providing the assist for Harry Kane to nod home the team's second, but his other actions was self-defeating. It is not as if arguing was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The German has repeatedly emphasized following squad protocols and the value of acting professionally.

Facing Examination

Bellingham, not included in last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny since coming back to the fold recently. Practically he has been on trial and he has not done himself any favours with his response to his substitution as England completed a flawless qualification run by overcoming a tough opposition from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

This implies the jury is out on how England operate most effectively including Bellingham. The evidence here was not definitive. There was experimentation from the manager in the beginning. He has provided the squad a clear system in recent months, employing a holding player, a central midfielder, a No 10 and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel versus Albania. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, the midfielder started for the first time internationally and the role of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder created a passing resemblance to Manchester City’s historic treble-winning side.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but frequently appeared overly eager to shine. Several hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player early on. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. One Albania chance resulted from Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card came after he was dispossessed from Broja and fouled Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

Finally England’s depth made the difference. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who appeared more naturally fitted to the position occupied by Bellingham during the first half, and Saka. Later Saka delivered a corner kick for the captain to break the deadlock. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks will be crucial next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of Rashford’s assist for Kane's goal was partly forgotten amid the drama of the player change. At the end, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel came over from behind and directed the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the English fans. Their relationship is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to discard him at this stage. Yet whether he is willing to offer him the central position is still uncertain.