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If Jude Bellingham wants to fight his way once again into the English strongest team, the smart move to cut out the nonsense. The way he reacted upon realizing that he was going up following a night of inconsistency in Tirana was not good enough.

"I don’t want to overstate it but I stick to my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect for the teammates who enter the game," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you need to comply when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for a strop. The captain had just put the Three Lions leading by two in a dead rubber match, with only six minutes remaining and the player, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for a foul on Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a debatable decision. In fact it might have been reckless for the head coach to leave Bellingham on because there was a risk he would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the World Cup by getting a second caution.

Shifting Focus on Himself

But Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. There was no disguising the 22-year-old’s frustration when he clocked that he was going to make way for another player. His arms went up in exasperation and although he exchanged a handshake while heading to the touchline there was no doubt that Tuchel was displeased.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He praised Rashford for delivering the cross for the captain to head in his second goal, but everything else was counterproductive. It's not like arguing was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the value of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, not included in last month’s squad, is being watched carefully after returning to the team in the current camp. Essentially he has been on trial and he has not done himself any favours with his response to his substitution as the national team rounded off a ideal group stage by defeating a tough opposition from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

It means it's unclear on whether the team perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel at the start. He has given the squad a clear system over the past few matches, employing a holding player, a central midfielder, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different versus Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, the midfielder was in the starting lineup for England and the positioning of the defender as a part-time midfielder created a similar look to City's team that won three trophies.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He created an opportunity for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but at times seemed too desperate to impress. Several rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash against an opponent early on. England were ragged during most of the second period. A scoring chance for the opponents resulted from Bellingham squandered possession. The yellow card was shown after he was dispossessed by Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally England’s depth proved crucial. The coach brought on Phil Foden, who looked more comfortable to the role that Bellingham had played during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka delivered a corner for the captain to score the first goal. It highlighted that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, the focus was on him. The coach approached behind him and directed the Real Madrid midfielder towards the English fans. Their relationship is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to abandon the player just yet. Yet whether he is willing to offer him a starring role remains in doubt.