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Should Bellingham hopes to fight his way once again into England’s top team, it would be smart to do away with the dramatics. His response upon realizing that he was going up after an evening of uneven play in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to make more out of it but I hold to my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the players who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it being a professional."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a tantrum. Harry Kane had recently scored to make the Three Lions leading by two in a meaningless qualifier, there were six minutes left and he, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for a foul on the Albanian striker. This was hardly a questionable change. In fact it might have been reckless for the head coach to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering there was a chance he would rule himself out of the initial fixture of the competition by picking up a another booking.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the player's annoyance when he clocked that he would be substituted for a teammate. He threw his arms up and although he exchanged a handshake while heading to the touchline there was no doubt that the head coach did not appreciate it.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He praised Rashford for delivering the cross for Kane to score his second of the night, but everything else was harmful to his cause. It is not as if protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The German has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the necessity of showing proper conduct.

In the Spotlight

Bellingham, omitted from last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the fold in the current camp. In effect he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours by reacting to being taken off as the national team rounded off a perfect qualifying campaign by defeating a tough opposition from Albania.

The System and the Setup

It means opinions are divided on if the team operate most effectively including Bellingham. The performance was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested from the manager at the start. Under him, England have gained the team a clear system in recent months, building with a No 6, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different against Albania. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, Wharton made his first start at this level and the role of the defender as an auxiliary midfielder created a faint echo to the Manchester club's team that won three trophies.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He made a chance for his teammate in the latter period but frequently appeared overly eager to shine. Several hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. England were ragged during most of the second period. An opportunity for Albania came after Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card occurred when an opponent took the ball to Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Ultimately England’s depth was decisive. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who appeared more naturally fitted to the role occupied by Bellingham during the first half, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka provided a corner kick for Harry Kane to score the first goal. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations will play a key role next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of Rashford's cross for the second goal was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the player change. After the final whistle, all eyes were on Bellingham. The coach approached to his side and directed the player towards the away supporters. Their connection is not damaged. Tuchel hasn't decided to abandon the player just yet. Yet whether he is willing to grant him centre stage is not guaranteed.