🔗 Share this article

For Bellingham to wants to earn his place into England’s strongest starting eleven, he would be wise to eliminate the nonsense. His reaction after noticing that his number was being shown after an evening of inconsistency in Tirana was not good enough.

"I don’t want to overstate it but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the squad members who come in," Tuchel said. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it as a player."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for a tantrum. Harry Kane had only moments earlier made it the Three Lions 2-0 up in a meaningless qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and Bellingham, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for a foul on Armando Broja. This was hardly a controversial substitution. In fact it would have been unwise for the head coach to not substitute him considering there was a chance he would make himself ineligible of the first match of the competition by receiving a second yellow card.

Shifting Focus on Himself

But Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the player's frustration upon understanding that he would be substituted for another player. His arms went up in exasperation and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the bench there was no doubt that the head coach was displeased.

This is the challenge for Bellingham. He applauded his teammate for delivering the cross for Kane to score his second goal, but his other actions was self-defeating. It's not like arguing was going to alter the decision. Tuchel has repeatedly emphasized following squad protocols and the importance of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

He, not included in the team last month, is being watched carefully after returning to the squad this month. Essentially he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to being taken off as England wrapped up a flawless qualification run by defeating a spirited effort from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

As a result the jury is out on whether England operate most effectively including Bellingham. The performance was inconclusive. There was experimentation from the manager at the start. Under him, England have gained England structure and clarity lately, building with a holding player, a central midfielder, a No 10 and dedicated wide players, but it felt different against Albania. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, Adam Wharton made his first start for England and the use of the defender as a makeshift midfielder gave a similar look to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He created an opportunity for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but frequently appeared overly eager to shine. He made many poorly executed passes. A pointless clash against an opponent early on. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. One Albania chance came after Bellingham squandered possession. His caution occurred when he was dispossessed to Broja and brought down Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end the squad's strength proved crucial. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who looked better suited to the spot that Bellingham had played during the first half, and the Arsenal winger. In time Saka whipped in a corner for Kane to score the first goal. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks will be crucial at the World Cup.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the player change. At the end, the focus was on the midfielder. The coach approached from behind and guided the player to acknowledge the English fans. Their connection is not broken. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on Bellingham yet. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to give him centre stage remains in doubt.