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For Bellingham to hopes to force his way into the English strongest squad, the smart move to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. His response when he saw that he was going up after a match of uneven play in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and respect towards the squad members who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it being a professional."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for a tantrum. The captain had just put the national team leading by two in a dead rubber match, the game had six minutes to go and the player, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for fouling the Albanian striker. This was hardly a debatable decision. Indeed it would have been unwise for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering there was a risk the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the first match of the tournament by getting a second yellow card.

Shifting Focus on Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s frustration upon understanding that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and although he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the bench it was clear that the head coach was displeased.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He congratulated Marcus Rashford for delivering the cross for the captain to head in his second goal, but the rest was harmful to his cause. There was no chance arguing was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the importance of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

He, not included in last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the team this month. Essentially he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to coming off the pitch as the national team wrapped up a flawless qualification run by seeing off a feisty challenge from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

As a result it's unclear on how England function at their best with Bellingham in the team. The evidence here was inconclusive. There was experimentation by the coach early on. He has provided the squad a clear system in recent months, employing a holding player, a central midfielder, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different versus Albania. The young defender was made his England debut, the midfielder was in the starting lineup at this level and the role of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder created a similar look to City's team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for Eze in the latter period but frequently appeared trying too hard. There were a lot of rushed, misplaced passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder early on. The team looked disjointed after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents came after he lost the ball cheaply. His caution came after he lost the ball by Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end the bench quality was decisive. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who looked more comfortable to the spot in which Bellingham operated during the first half, and the Arsenal winger. In time Saka whipped in a corner kick for Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, all eyes were on him. Tuchel walked up behind him and pushed Bellingham towards the away supporters. Their relationship is not damaged. Tuchel hasn't decided to abandon the player just yet. Yet whether Tuchel is inclined to give him centre stage is still uncertain.