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For Bellingham to wants to fight his way into England’s top squad, the smart move to cut out the nonsense. The way he reacted after noticing that he was going up after an evening of mixed performance in Tirana was not good enough.

"I prefer not to blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and respect towards the squad members who come in," stated Tuchel. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a tantrum. Kane had just put the national team two goals ahead in a meaningless fixture, with only six minutes remaining and the player, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for a foul on the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a controversial substitution. Actually it would have been unwise for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch because there was a risk the midfielder would be suspended of the initial fixture of the World Cup by getting a second caution.

Shifting Focus on Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. There was no disguising the player's annoyance when he clocked that he would be substituted for another player. He flung his arms in the air and even though he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the sideline there was no doubt that the head coach was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He applauded Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to head in his second of the night, but everything else was counterproductive. There was no chance complaining was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the value of showing proper conduct.

In the Spotlight

Bellingham, omitted from last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the squad this month. In effect he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to being taken off as England rounded off a flawless qualification run by overcoming a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

Tactics and Formation

It means the jury is out on if the team perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. The performance was open to interpretation. Tuchel tried new things by the coach in the beginning. He has provided the squad organization and direction lately, building with a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but there was a different feel versus Albania. The young defender was made his England debut, Adam Wharton made his first start for England and the positioning of John Stones as a part-time midfielder meant there was passing resemblance to City's 2023 treble winners.

Mixed Performance

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for Eberechi Eze during the second half but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation against an opponent at the beginning. The team looked disjointed after halftime. One Albania chance resulted from Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card came after he lost the ball by Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately England’s depth made the difference. The coach brought on Phil Foden, who seemed more naturally fitted to the role in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka whipped in a corner for Harry Kane to score the first goal. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was a little lost due to the fuss of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, all eyes were on him. The coach approached to his side and directed the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the away supporters. The bond between them is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to give up on Bellingham yet. However, whether the coach is prepared to offer him the central position is still uncertain.