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Should Bellingham hopes to fight his way back into England’s strongest team, the smart move to eliminate the dramatics. His reaction after noticing that his number 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 hold to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect for the squad members who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it as a player."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for a tantrum. The captain had only moments earlier made it the Three Lions 2-0 up in a meaningless match, with only six minutes remaining and the player, after a below-par performance, received a caution for fouling Armando Broja. It was not a controversial substitution. Actually it would have been foolish for the head coach to leave Bellingham on considering it was possible the midfielder would be suspended of the initial fixture of the tournament by receiving a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention to Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. There was no disguising the player's frustration as he realized that he would be substituted for another player. His arms went up in exasperation and although he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the sideline there was no doubt that Tuchel was displeased.

Here lies the test facing Bellingham. He praised Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to nod home the team's second, but the rest was self-defeating. It's not like arguing was going to change Tuchel’s mind. Tuchel has talked so much about following squad protocols and the importance of acting professionally.

Facing Examination

Bellingham, not included in the team last month, has faced close inspection after returning to the squad recently. Practically he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case through his behavior to being taken off as England rounded off a flawless qualification run by seeing off a feisty challenge from their opponents.

Tactics and Formation

This implies opinions are divided on whether England function at their best including Bellingham. The performance was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel at the start. He has given the team organization and direction in recent months, employing a holding player, a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed versus Albania. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, Wharton was in the starting lineup for England and the role of Stones as a part-time midfielder created a passing resemblance to City's historic treble-winning side.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for his teammate during the second half but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. A pointless clash against an opponent at the beginning. England's play was messy for much of the second half. One Albania chance resulted from Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card occurred when he was dispossessed to Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end the squad's strength was decisive. Tuchel introduced Foden, who seemed more comfortable to the spot in which Bellingham operated during the first half, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka provided a set-piece for the captain to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that set pieces will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the Rogers substitution. At the end, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel came over behind him and guided the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the travelling England fans. Their connection remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to discard him at this stage. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to grant him a starring role is not guaranteed.