For Bellingham to aims to fight his way into England’s top squad, the smart move to eliminate the dramatics. His reaction upon realizing that the substitute board was about to come up following a night of uneven play in Tirana was not good enough.
"I prefer not to overstate it but I stand by my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the teammates who substitute on," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it being a professional."
There is a lesson for Bellingham. It was unnecessary for an outburst. The captain had recently scored to make the Three Lions leading by two in a meaningless fixture, with only six minutes remaining and the player, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for a foul on an opponent. This was hardly a questionable change. Actually it would have been foolish for the manager to leave Bellingham on because there was a chance Bellingham would rule himself out of the first match of the tournament by picking up a another booking.
Drawing Attention to Himself
But Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. No one could overlook the young midfielder's annoyance upon understanding that his replacement was ready for another player. He flung his arms in the air and although he exchanged a handshake on his way to the touchline it was clear that the head coach was not impressed.
This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He congratulated Rashford for delivering the cross for the captain to nod home his second of the night, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. It's not like complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. Tuchel has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the value of showing proper conduct.
In the Spotlight
The midfielder, not included in the team last month, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the fold recently. Practically his place has been in question and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to coming off the pitch as the national team rounded off a ideal group stage by overcoming a spirited effort from Albania.
The System and the Setup
As a result the jury is out on if the team operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. What we saw was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested from the manager in the beginning. Under him, England have gained the squad structure and clarity lately, building with a No 6, a No 8, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but the approach changed against Albania. The young defender was handed his international debut, the midfielder started for the first time at this level and the use of Stones as a part-time midfielder gave a passing resemblance to the Manchester club's team that won three trophies.
A Game of Two Halves
His performance was inconsistent. He made a chance for Eze during the second half but often looked trying too hard. Several hurried and errant passes. A pointless clash against an opponent at the beginning. England were ragged after halftime. One Albania chance came after Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card came after he lost the ball from Broja and brought down the attacker.
Squad Strength Shows
In the end the squad's strength proved crucial. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who seemed more comfortable to the position that Bellingham had played during the first half, and Saka. Later Saka delivered a corner kick for Harry Kane to score the first goal. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.
Relationship Not Broken
Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for Kane's goal was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel walked up to his side and directed the player towards the travelling England fans. Their connection is not damaged. Tuchel hasn't decided to discard the player just yet. But if the coach is prepared to offer him the central position remains in doubt.
