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For Bellingham to hopes to earn his place back into England’s strongest team, the smart move to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. His response after noticing that the substitute board was about to come up after an evening of uneven play in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not overstate it but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and respect for the teammates who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Decisions are made and you need to comply as a player."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for an outburst. Kane had only moments earlier made it the national team two goals ahead in an inconsequential qualifier, the game had six minutes to go and the player, after a below-par performance, had just been booked for a foul on an opponent. It was not a questionable change. In fact it might have been reckless for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch because there was a risk Bellingham would rule himself out of the opening game of the World Cup by getting a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

However, the player drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s disappointment when he clocked that his replacement was ready for another player. He threw his arms up and even though he accepted the coach's hand while heading to the touchline it was obvious that Tuchel was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He congratulated Rashford for delivering the cross for Kane to nod home the team's second, but the rest was counterproductive. There was no chance complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. Tuchel has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the importance of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

He, not included in the team last month, has faced close inspection since coming back to the fold this month. Essentially he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to his substitution as the side rounded off a flawless qualification run by overcoming a tough opposition from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

As a result the jury is out on whether the squad operate most effectively including Bellingham. What we saw was not definitive. There was experimentation from Tuchel early on. Under him, England have gained the squad organization and direction lately, employing a defensive midfielder, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but it felt different versus Albania. The young defender was made his England debut, the midfielder started for the first time internationally and the role of Stones as a makeshift midfielder created a passing resemblance to Manchester City’s historic treble-winning side.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for his teammate in the latter period but often looked trying too hard. There were a lot of 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 he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card was shown after he was dispossessed to Broja and fouled the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately the squad's strength made the difference. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who appeared more comfortable to the position in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and Saka. In time Saka whipped in a corner kick for the captain to break the deadlock. It highlighted that set pieces are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The quality of Rashford’s assist for Kane's goal was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the player change. At the end, everyone was watching Bellingham. Tuchel came over to his side and directed the Real Madrid midfielder towards the travelling England fans. Their connection is not damaged. Tuchel hasn't decided to abandon the player just yet. Yet whether the coach is prepared to give him centre stage is not guaranteed.