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For Bellingham to hopes to fight his way back into the English top squad, the smart move to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. His reaction after noticing that he was being shown following a night of mixed performance in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the teammates who come in," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you need to comply when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. It was unnecessary for an outburst. The captain had only moments earlier made it the national team two goals ahead in a meaningless qualifier, there were six minutes left and he, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for a foul on an opponent. This could scarcely be called a controversial substitution. Actually it would have been foolish for the manager to not substitute him because there was a risk Bellingham would be suspended of the first match of the World Cup by picking up a second caution.

Shifting Focus on Himself

However, the player turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's annoyance when he clocked that he would be substituted for a teammate. His arms went up in exasperation and even though he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the bench it was clear that the manager did not appreciate it.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He congratulated Marcus Rashford for providing the assist for Kane to head in his second goal, but the rest was counterproductive. It's not like complaining was going to alter the decision. The coach has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the value of showing proper conduct.

In the Spotlight

Bellingham, left out of the previous squad, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the squad this month. Essentially he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to being taken off as the side completed a flawless qualification run by seeing off a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

As a result the jury is out on whether the team operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was not definitive. There was experimentation from Tuchel in the beginning. He has provided England a clear system in recent months, using a holding player, a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but the approach changed in this match. The young defender was handed his international debut, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup internationally and the role of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was similar look to City's team that won three trophies.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He set up a shot for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but at times seemed overly eager to shine. There were a lot of poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player at the beginning. The team looked disjointed after halftime. An opportunity for Albania resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card occurred when he was dispossessed from Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Finally England’s depth proved crucial. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who appeared more comfortable to the spot occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka provided a corner for the captain to score the first goal. It was a reminder that set pieces will be crucial next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The quality of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was a little lost in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. At the end, the focus was on him. Tuchel walked up to his side and directed Bellingham towards the travelling England fans. The bond between them is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to abandon Bellingham yet. But if Tuchel is inclined to offer him centre stage remains in doubt.