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If Jude Bellingham wants to force his way back into England’s strongest starting eleven, it would be smart to cut out the unnecessary reactions. The way he reacted when he saw that the substitute board was about to come up following a night of mixed performance in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to make more out of it but I hold to my words 'attitude matters' and respect for the squad members who enter the game," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you must accept them being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for a strop. The captain had just put the national team leading by two in a dead rubber qualifier, the game had six minutes to go and the player, after a below-par performance, received a caution for a foul on the Albanian striker. It was not a questionable change. Indeed it would have been foolish for the head coach to keep Bellingham on the pitch because there was a risk Bellingham would rule himself out of the initial fixture of the tournament by receiving a another booking.

Shifting Focus on Himself

Yet Bellingham made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's annoyance when he clocked that he was going to make way for a teammate. He threw his arms up and even though he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the touchline it was obvious that the manager was not impressed.

This is the challenge that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded his teammate for delivering the cross for Kane to head in the team's second, but his other actions was self-defeating. It is not as if arguing was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has stressed repeatedly honoring the team structure and the value of showing proper conduct.

In the Spotlight

Bellingham, omitted from last month’s squad, has faced close inspection upon his return to the fold this month. Essentially he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case with his response to being taken off as England wrapped up a flawless qualification run by seeing off a tough opposition from their opponents.

Tactics and Formation

As a result the jury is out on if the team operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things by the coach early on. He has provided England organization and direction over the past few matches, using a No 6, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but there was a different feel in this match. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup internationally and the positioning of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder created a similar look to Manchester City’s 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but at times seemed too desperate to impress. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder in the early stages. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania came after Bellingham squandered possession. His caution came after an opponent took the ball from Broja and brought down the attacker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Ultimately the bench quality made the difference. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who seemed more comfortable to the position in which Bellingham operated during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka delivered a corner kick for Harry Kane to break the deadlock. 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 excellence of Rashford's cross for the second goal was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. At the end, the focus was on him. Tuchel came over behind him and directed the Real Madrid midfielder towards the travelling England fans. Their connection remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to abandon him at this stage. Yet whether the coach is prepared to offer him centre stage is still uncertain.