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Should Bellingham aims to earn his place once again into the English top team, he would be wise to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. His response when he saw that he was going up following a night of mixed performance in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to overstate it but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the squad members who enter the game," commented the coach. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it being a professional."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for a tantrum. Kane had just put the national team leading by two in a dead rubber match, with only six minutes remaining and he, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for fouling the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a debatable decision. Indeed it would have been foolish for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch given that it was possible the midfielder would be suspended of the first match of the competition by receiving a another booking.

Shifting Focus Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s disappointment upon understanding that he was going to make way for another player. He threw his arms up and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the sideline it was obvious that the manager was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He congratulated his teammate for providing the assist for the captain to nod home the team's second, but everything else was counterproductive. There was no chance arguing was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has talked so much about respecting team hierarchies and the value of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, not included in the team last month, has faced close inspection since coming back to the squad this month. Practically he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case by reacting to being taken off as England wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

This implies it's unclear on whether the squad function at their best with Bellingham in the team. The evidence here was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested by the coach at the start. He has given the squad structure and clarity lately, employing a holding player, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and specialist wingers, but the approach changed against Albania. The young defender was handed his international debut, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup at this level and the positioning of the defender as a makeshift midfielder meant there was similar look to the Manchester club's team that won three trophies.

Mixed Performance

His performance was inconsistent. He made a chance for his teammate in the latter period but frequently appeared overly eager to shine. Several poorly executed passes. A pointless clash against an opponent early on. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania resulted from Bellingham gave the ball away. His caution was shown after he lost the ball from Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end the bench quality made the difference. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who appeared better suited to the spot that Bellingham had played during the first half, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka whipped in a corner for Kane to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks will be crucial at the World Cup.

Connection Remains

Still, though, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for Kane's goal was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the Rogers substitution. At the end, all eyes were on the midfielder. Tuchel walked up behind him and guided the player in the direction of the travelling England fans. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to discard the player just yet. Yet whether the coach is prepared to grant him centre stage is not guaranteed.