🔗 Share this article

Should Bellingham aims to earn his place into England’s top team, it would be smart to eliminate the dramatics. His reaction upon realizing that the substitute board was going up after a match of inconsistency in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the teammates who come in," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply as a player."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. It was unnecessary for an outburst. Kane had recently scored to make the Three Lions two goals ahead in a meaningless fixture, the game had six minutes to go and the player, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for bringing down the Albanian striker. This was hardly a controversial substitution. Indeed it would have been unwise for the manager to leave Bellingham on because there was a chance the midfielder would rule himself out of the initial fixture of the competition by picking up a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight to Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. There was no disguising the young midfielder's frustration upon understanding that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and while he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the sideline there was no doubt that the head coach did not appreciate it.

This is the challenge for Bellingham. He praised his teammate for providing the assist for Harry Kane to head in the team's second, but everything else was harmful to his cause. There was no chance complaining was going to alter the decision. The German has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the necessity of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

Bellingham, not included in the previous squad, is being watched carefully upon his return to the fold this month. Essentially he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours by reacting to coming off the pitch as the national team rounded off a ideal group stage by defeating a tough opposition from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

It means the jury is out on whether the squad function at their best when Bellingham plays. The performance was inconclusive. There was experimentation from Tuchel at the start. He has given the team organization and direction lately, using a No 6, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but the approach changed against Albania. Quansah was made his England debut, Adam Wharton made his first start at this level and the positioning of the defender as a makeshift midfielder meant there was similar look to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He set up a shot for his teammate during the second half but at times seemed too desperate to impress. He made many rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash against an opponent early on. England's play was messy after halftime. One Albania chance followed he lost the ball cheaply. His booking was shown after an opponent took the ball by Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally the bench quality was decisive. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who looked more naturally fitted to the spot occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and Saka. Eventually Saka whipped in a set-piece for Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that set pieces are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, Bellingham was the story. The quality of the winger's delivery for Kane's goal was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the Rogers substitution. After the final whistle, everyone was watching him. Tuchel came over to his side and pushed the Real Madrid midfielder towards the English fans. The bond between them is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to discard him at this stage. However, whether the coach is prepared to give him a starring role is still uncertain.