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If Jude Bellingham wants to force his way once again into England’s strongest team, the smart move to cut out the nonsense. His response when he saw that the substitute board was being shown following a night of uneven play in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the squad members who enter the game," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no need for a tantrum. Kane had recently scored to make the Three Lions leading by two in a dead rubber fixture, the game had six minutes to go and he, after a below-par performance, received a caution for fouling the Albanian striker. It was not a debatable decision. Actually it might have been reckless for Tuchel to not substitute him given that it was possible he would be suspended of the initial fixture of the World Cup by picking up a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention to Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's annoyance when he clocked that he would be substituted for another player. He flung his arms in the air and while he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the bench it was clear that the manager was not impressed.

Here lies the test for Bellingham. He applauded Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to head in his second goal, but everything else was harmful to his cause. There was no chance complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the value of acting professionally.

Under Scrutiny

He, left out of the previous squad, is being watched carefully after returning to the squad in the current camp. Practically he has been on trial and he has not done himself any favours by reacting to being taken off as the side rounded off a ideal group stage by defeating a feisty challenge from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

This implies the jury is out on whether England operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. What we saw was open to interpretation. There was experimentation by the coach at the start. Under him, England have gained England a clear system lately, employing a No 6, a box-to-box player, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different in this match. Quansah was made his England debut, the midfielder made his first start for England and the use of Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was faint echo to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.

Mixed Performance

His performance was inconsistent. He set up a shot for Eberechi Eze during the second half but frequently appeared overly eager to shine. Several poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player at the beginning. England's play was messy after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. His caution was shown after he was dispossessed to Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately England’s depth made the difference. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who looked more naturally fitted to the role that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and Saka. In time Saka whipped in a set-piece for Kane to score the first goal. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations will be crucial next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

However, Bellingham was the story. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the Rogers substitution. At the end, all eyes were on Bellingham. Tuchel came over from behind and directed the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the English fans. The bond between them is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to discard Bellingham yet. Yet whether he is willing to grant him a starring role remains in doubt.