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Should Bellingham hopes to earn his place back into the English strongest squad, the smart move to cut out the unnecessary reactions. The way he reacted when he saw that the substitute board was going up following a night 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 'attitude matters' and respect for the squad members who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Decisions are made and you need to comply when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no need for a strop. Harry Kane had recently scored to make the national team leading by two in a meaningless fixture, the game had six minutes to go and the player, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for a foul on Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a controversial substitution. Indeed it would have been unwise for the head coach to leave Bellingham on given that it was possible he would make himself ineligible of the first match of the tournament by picking up a second yellow card.

Shifting Focus to Himself

But Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. There was no disguising the young midfielder's annoyance as he realized that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and although he exchanged a handshake while heading to the bench it was obvious that the head coach did not appreciate it.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He applauded Rashford for providing the assist for Kane to head in his second of the night, but the rest was counterproductive. It is not as if complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has talked so much about respecting team hierarchies and the importance of acting professionally.

Facing Examination

He, omitted from last month’s squad, has faced close inspection after returning to the squad this month. Practically he was being assessed and he hasn't helped his case with his response to coming off the pitch as England rounded off a flawless qualification run by overcoming a feisty challenge from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

This implies opinions are divided on if England perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. The evidence here was inconclusive. Some new ideas were tested by the coach in the beginning. He has provided the team organization and direction in recent months, using a holding player, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but it felt different in this match. The young defender was made his England debut, Wharton was in the starting lineup for England and the role of the defender as a makeshift midfielder created a similar look to City's team that won three trophies.

Inconsistent Display

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for his teammate in the latter period but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. He made many hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with a rival player at the beginning. England's play was messy for much of the second half. A scoring chance for the opponents followed Bellingham gave the ball away. His caution occurred when an opponent took the ball to Broja and fouled Broja.

Substitutes Decide

In the end the bench quality made the difference. The coach brought on Phil Foden, who seemed more comfortable to the spot occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka whipped in a set-piece for Kane to score the first goal. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, the focus was on Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was partly forgotten amid the drama of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, the focus was on the midfielder. The coach approached behind him and pushed Bellingham in the direction of the English fans. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to abandon him at this stage. But if he is willing to grant him centre stage remains in doubt.