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Should Bellingham aims to earn his place back into the English strongest team, it would be smart to do away with the unnecessary reactions. His response after noticing that he was about to come up following a night of inconsistency in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect towards the players who come in," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it as a player."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for an outburst. Kane had only moments earlier made it England 2-0 up in an inconsequential match, there were six minutes left and he, who had not played particularly well, received a caution for fouling Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a debatable decision. Actually it might have been reckless for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering there was a chance he would rule himself out of the opening game of the competition by picking up a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention on Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the player's frustration upon understanding that he would be substituted for a teammate. He threw his arms up and although he exchanged a handshake on his way to the touchline it was obvious that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded his teammate for delivering the cross for Harry Kane to score his second of the night, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. It is not as if protesting was going to reverse the substitution. The German has talked so much about respecting team hierarchies and the necessity of acting professionally.

Facing Examination

He, left out of the team last month, has faced close inspection after returning to the squad recently. Practically his place has been in question and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to being taken off as the national team completed a flawless qualification run by overcoming a tough opposition from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

It means it's unclear on if the team function at their best when Bellingham plays. The performance was not definitive. There was experimentation from Tuchel at the start. He has provided the team organization and direction over the past few matches, employing a No 6, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but the approach changed against Albania. Jarell Quansah was made his England debut, Wharton made his first start at this level and the use of Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was similar look to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for his teammate after the break but at times seemed too desperate to impress. He made many hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. England were ragged after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents came after he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card occurred when an opponent took the ball to Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately England’s depth made the difference. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who looked more comfortable to the position in which Bellingham operated during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka delivered a set-piece for the captain to open the scoring. It highlighted that dead-ball situations are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the player change. After the final whistle, all eyes were on the midfielder. The coach approached to his side and directed the player towards the travelling England fans. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on Bellingham yet. Yet whether he is willing to offer him centre stage is not guaranteed.