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If Jude Bellingham aims to earn his place into the English top team, it would be smart to cut out the dramatics. His response after noticing that his number was about to come up after an evening of mixed performance in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and respect for the players who come in," commented the coach. "Choices are taken and you must accept them as a player."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no call for a tantrum. Kane had just put the national team two goals ahead in a dead rubber match, there were six minutes left and the player, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for a foul on the Albanian striker. This was hardly a controversial substitution. In fact it would have been foolish for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch because there was a chance the midfielder would rule himself out of the first match of the World Cup by picking up a another booking.

Shifting Focus Upon Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s frustration when he clocked that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and although he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the bench there was no doubt that Tuchel was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded Marcus Rashford for delivering the cross for Harry Kane to score his second goal, but everything else was counterproductive. It's not like arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has talked so much about following squad protocols and the necessity of behaving correctly.

Facing Examination

He, left out of the previous squad, has been under scrutiny since coming back to the team recently. In effect he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours through his behavior to being taken off as England completed a flawless qualification run by defeating a tough opposition from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

It means opinions are divided on how England operate most effectively including Bellingham. The evidence here was inconclusive. There was experimentation from the manager early on. Under him, England have gained the team structure and clarity over the past few matches, employing a No 6, a central midfielder, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed versus Albania. The young defender was made his England debut, the midfielder was in the starting lineup internationally and the positioning of the defender as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was similar look to City's 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He made a chance for Eze during the second half but often looked overly eager to shine. Several poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder early on. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. One Albania chance resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. His caution was shown after he lost the ball by Broja and fouled the attacker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Ultimately England’s depth was decisive. The coach brought on Foden, who appeared more comfortable to the role that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka provided a corner kick for Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that set pieces are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the Rogers substitution. When the match concluded, everyone was watching Bellingham. Tuchel walked up to his side and pushed the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the away supporters. Their connection is not damaged. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on him at this stage. Yet whether Tuchel is inclined to give him centre stage is still uncertain.