Jude Bellingham Has to Eliminate the Nonsense to Earn a Key Place Under Tuchel.

Should Bellingham hopes to force his way into England’s best starting eleven, it would be smart to eliminate the dramatics. His reaction upon realizing that he was being shown after an evening of mixed performance in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and respect for the squad members who substitute on," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply as a player."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a tantrum. Kane had just put the national team 2-0 up in an inconsequential qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and the player, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for bringing down Armando Broja. This was hardly a questionable change. Actually it might have been reckless for the head coach to leave Bellingham on given that there was a chance the midfielder would rule himself out of the first match of the World Cup by picking up a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. There was no disguising the young midfielder's disappointment upon understanding that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and although he shook Tuchel’s hand after making his way to the touchline it was clear that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He congratulated his teammate for delivering the cross for Kane to score his second of the night, but his other actions was self-defeating. It's not like arguing was going to alter the decision. The German has stressed repeatedly honoring the team structure and the importance of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

He, left out of the previous squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the squad this month. Essentially he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case with his response to his substitution as the side completed a ideal group stage by overcoming a spirited effort from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

It means the jury is out on whether England operate most effectively including Bellingham. What we saw was not definitive. There was experimentation from Tuchel early on. Under him, England have gained the squad structure and clarity lately, employing a defensive midfielder, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but there was a different feel in this match. The young defender was made his England debut, Adam Wharton made his first start at this level and the positioning of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was passing resemblance to City's team that won three trophies.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for his teammate after the break but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. He made many rushed, misplaced passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with a rival player at the beginning. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card was shown after he lost the ball to Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately England’s depth proved crucial. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who appeared more comfortable to the role in which Bellingham operated during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. Eventually Saka whipped in a corner for Kane to open the scoring. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations will be crucial at the World Cup.

Connection Remains

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of Rashford's cross for the second goal was a little lost in the ridiculousness of the player change. At the end, everyone was watching the midfielder. Tuchel came over behind him and directed the player to acknowledge the English fans. Their relationship remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to abandon him at this stage. But if Tuchel is inclined to grant him centre stage is still uncertain.