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If Jude Bellingham hopes to earn his place into the English best team, he would be wise to do away with the dramatics. His response upon realizing that the substitute board was about to come up after a match of inconsistency in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the squad members who substitute on," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for a strop. The captain had just put the Three Lions two goals ahead in a dead rubber match, with only six minutes remaining and he, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for bringing down the Albanian striker. It was not a debatable decision. In fact it would have been unwise for the manager to not substitute him because there was a risk Bellingham would make himself ineligible of the first match of the World Cup by receiving a second caution.

Drawing Attention on Himself

However, the player turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the player's disappointment when he clocked that his replacement was ready for another player. His arms went up in exasperation and while he shook Tuchel’s hand after making his way to the sideline there was no doubt that the manager was not impressed.

Here lies the test facing Bellingham. He praised his teammate for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to nod home his second goal, but his other actions was counterproductive. It is not as if protesting was going to alter the decision. Tuchel has stressed repeatedly respecting team hierarchies and the importance of acting professionally.

Facing Examination

The midfielder, left out of last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny since coming back to the fold this month. Practically he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to coming off the pitch as England rounded off a ideal group stage by defeating a tough opposition from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

As a result it's unclear on whether the team function at their best including Bellingham. What we saw was inconclusive. There was experimentation from Tuchel in the beginning. He has provided England organization and direction over the past few matches, building with a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, a playmaker and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel in this match. Quansah was given his first cap, Adam Wharton made his first start internationally and the use of the defender as a makeshift midfielder meant there was similar look to City's 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for Eberechi Eze after the break but at times seemed too desperate to impress. Several poorly executed passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder early on. England were ragged after halftime. An opportunity for Albania came after Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card was shown after he lost the ball by Broja and fouled the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Ultimately the squad's strength made the difference. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who looked better suited to the role that Bellingham had played in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka delivered a corner kick for Kane to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that set pieces are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of the winger's delivery for the second goal was a little lost amid the drama of the substitution incident. At the end, the focus was on Bellingham. Tuchel walked up behind him and pushed Bellingham in the direction of the away supporters. Their relationship remains intact. The coach isn't ready to give up on Bellingham yet. Yet whether he is willing to give him the central position is still uncertain.