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For Bellingham to hopes to fight his way once again into England’s strongest starting eleven, it would be smart to cut out the unnecessary reactions. The way he reacted upon realizing that his number was being shown after an evening of uneven play in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the players who enter the game," stated Tuchel. "Decisions are made and you must accept them being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no call for an outburst. The captain had recently scored to make the national team 2-0 up in a dead rubber match, there were six minutes left and he, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for a foul on an opponent. This was hardly a debatable decision. In fact it would have been foolish for the head coach to keep Bellingham on the pitch given that it was possible he would rule himself out of the first match of the competition by picking up a second caution.

Drawing Attention on Himself

Yet Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s frustration when he clocked that his replacement was ready for a teammate. He threw his arms up and while he shook Tuchel’s hand after making his way to the bench it was obvious that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He congratulated Rashford for providing the assist for the captain to nod home his second goal, but everything else was counterproductive. There was no chance arguing was going to alter the decision. The coach has talked so much about following squad protocols and the importance of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

He, not included in the previous squad, has faced close inspection upon his return to the team in the current camp. Essentially his place has been in question and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to coming off the pitch as the national team wrapped up a ideal group stage by defeating a spirited effort from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

This implies the jury is out on if the squad operate most effectively including Bellingham. The evidence here was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things from the manager at the start. He has provided the squad structure and clarity over the past few matches, building with a No 6, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and dedicated wide players, but the approach changed in this match. The young defender was given his first cap, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup for England and the use of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder created a passing resemblance to City's team that won three trophies.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He made a chance for Eze during the second half but frequently appeared trying too hard. Several poorly executed passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder early on. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. One Albania chance followed he lost the ball cheaply. His booking was shown after an opponent took the ball by Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

In the end the squad's strength made the difference. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who appeared better suited to the position that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka provided a set-piece for the captain to break the deadlock. It highlighted that dead-ball situations will play a key role at the World Cup.

Relationship Not Broken

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked amid the drama of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, everyone was watching him. Tuchel came over behind him and directed Bellingham in the direction of the travelling England fans. Their connection is not broken. The coach isn't ready to give up on the player just yet. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to offer him the central position is still uncertain.