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Should Bellingham aims to force his way into England’s strongest team, it would be smart to eliminate the dramatics. His reaction when he saw that the substitute board was about to come up after an evening of inconsistency in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to overstate it but I stand by my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect for the squad members who come in," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. It was unnecessary for an outburst. Harry Kane had just put the Three Lions 2-0 up in an inconsequential match, there were six minutes left and Bellingham, after a below-par performance, received a caution for fouling an opponent. It was not a debatable decision. Actually it might have been reckless for Tuchel to not substitute him because there was a risk the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the tournament by picking up a second yellow card.

Shifting Focus to Himself

But Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the player's frustration as he realized that he was going to make way for a teammate. He flung his arms in the air and even though he exchanged a handshake on his way to the bench there was no doubt that the head coach was not impressed.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded Rashford for delivering the cross for the captain to score his second goal, but everything else was self-defeating. There was no chance complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. Tuchel has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the value of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

Bellingham, omitted from last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the team in the current camp. Practically his place has been in question and he has not done himself any favours through his behavior to being taken off as the national team completed a ideal group stage by defeating a feisty challenge from Albania.

The System and the Setup

As a result opinions are divided on whether England function at their best when Bellingham plays. The performance was inconclusive. There was experimentation from the manager early on. He has given England structure and clarity over the past few matches, building with a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, an attacking midfielder and specialist wingers, but it felt different in this match. Quansah was given his first cap, the midfielder was in the starting lineup for England and the positioning of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder gave a faint echo to Manchester City’s historic treble-winning side.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for his teammate in the latter period but frequently appeared overly eager to shine. He made many hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation against an opponent in the early stages. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. An opportunity for Albania came after Bellingham gave the ball away. His booking was shown after an opponent took the ball from Broja and brought down Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

Ultimately the squad's strength proved crucial. The coach brought on the Manchester City player, who appeared more comfortable to the position occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Saka. In time Saka whipped in a corner for Kane to open the scoring. It highlighted that set pieces are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, Bellingham was the story. The quality of Rashford's cross for the second goal was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the Rogers substitution. When the match concluded, the focus was on him. The coach approached to his side and pushed Bellingham towards the English fans. The bond between them is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to abandon the player just yet. But if Tuchel is inclined to grant him centre stage remains in doubt.