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If Jude Bellingham aims to fight his way back into the English best starting eleven, the smart move to cut out the dramatics. His response upon realizing that his number was going up after an evening of inconsistency in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the squad members who come in," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it as a player."

The midfielder must understand. There was no need for an outburst. The captain had just put the Three Lions leading by two in a meaningless match, the game had six minutes to go and the player, after a below-par performance, received a caution for fouling the Albanian striker. It was not a debatable decision. Indeed it would have been foolish for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch because there was a risk the midfielder would be suspended of the initial fixture of the tournament by receiving a another booking.

Drawing Attention on Himself

However, the player turned the spotlight on himself. There was no disguising the 22-year-old’s annoyance as he realized that he would be substituted for a teammate. He flung his arms in the air and while he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the sideline it was clear that Tuchel was not impressed.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He congratulated Rashford for sending in the ball for Kane to head in the team's second, but the rest was harmful to his cause. It is not as if protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The German has talked so much about following squad protocols and the importance of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

The midfielder, omitted from last month’s squad, is being watched carefully since coming back to the squad in the current camp. Practically he was being assessed and he hasn't helped his case by reacting to coming off the pitch as England wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by defeating a feisty challenge from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

As a result it's unclear on if the squad operate most effectively with Bellingham in the team. The performance was inconclusive. There was experimentation by the coach early on. He has given the squad organization and direction over the past few matches, building with a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed versus Albania. The young defender was made his England debut, the midfielder was in the starting lineup at this level and the positioning of Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was faint echo to Manchester City’s historic treble-winning side.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He created an opportunity for Eze in the latter period but often looked trying too hard. Several poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder early on. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. An opportunity for Albania resulted from Bellingham squandered possession. His booking was shown after an opponent took the ball by Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately the bench quality proved crucial. The coach brought on Foden, who appeared better suited to the position occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka delivered a set-piece for Harry 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

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the player change. After the final whistle, the focus was on Bellingham. Tuchel came over behind him and guided the player to acknowledge the away supporters. Their relationship is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to discard the player just yet. Yet whether Tuchel is inclined to grant him centre stage is not guaranteed.