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Should Bellingham wants to earn his place into the English best starting eleven, he would be wise to eliminate the dramatics. The way he reacted upon realizing that the substitute board was going up after an evening of mixed performance in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the teammates who enter the game," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it as a player."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no need for an outburst. Harry Kane had only moments earlier made it the national team 2-0 up in a dead rubber fixture, with only six minutes remaining and he, who had not played particularly well, received a caution for bringing down an opponent. It was not a controversial substitution. In fact it would have been foolish for Tuchel to leave Bellingham on considering there was a chance he would be suspended of the first match of the World Cup by receiving a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. There was no disguising the 22-year-old’s disappointment as he realized that he was going to make way for another player. His arms went up in exasperation and although he shook Tuchel’s hand while heading to the bench it was obvious that the head coach was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He praised Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to nod home the team's second, but the rest was harmful to his cause. It's not like protesting was going to reverse the substitution. The German has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the importance of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

The midfielder, not included in the previous squad, has faced close inspection since coming back to the squad in the current camp. Essentially he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to coming off the pitch as England rounded off a ideal group stage by overcoming a tough opposition from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

It means it's unclear on if the team perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel early on. He has provided the team structure and clarity in recent months, employing a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but there was a different feel in this match. Quansah was made his England debut, Adam Wharton made his first start at this level and the use of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was faint echo to City's historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He set up a shot for Eze after the break but at times seemed too desperate to impress. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. One Albania chance followed he lost the ball cheaply. His booking came after an opponent took the ball by Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Substitutes Decide

Finally England’s depth was decisive. Tuchel threw on Foden, who seemed more naturally fitted to the role in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka provided a set-piece for Harry Kane to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks will play a key role next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The quality of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was a little lost amid the drama of the Rogers substitution. After the final whistle, all eyes were on Bellingham. The coach approached to his side and guided Bellingham to acknowledge the away supporters. The bond between them is not damaged. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on the player just yet. Yet whether he is willing to offer him a starring role remains in doubt.