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If Jude Bellingham wants to earn his place into England’s top starting eleven, it would be smart to do away with the dramatics. The way he reacted when he saw that his number was about to come up following a night of inconsistency in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not overstate it but I stand by my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the teammates who enter the game," commented the coach. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply being a professional."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a strop. Harry Kane had recently scored to make the national team 2-0 up in a dead rubber qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and the player, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for fouling the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a debatable decision. Actually it would have been foolish for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch because it was possible the midfielder would be suspended of the initial fixture of the World Cup by getting a second caution.

Drawing Attention to Himself

Yet Bellingham made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the young midfielder's annoyance when he clocked that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the bench it was obvious that the head coach was displeased.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He praised Marcus Rashford for providing the assist for Harry Kane to head in his second of the night, but everything else was counterproductive. There was no chance protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. Tuchel has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the value of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, not included in the previous squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the team recently. In effect his place has been in question and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to his substitution as England rounded off a ideal group stage by defeating a tough opposition from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

It means the jury is out on whether England function at their best when Bellingham plays. What we saw was inconclusive. Some new ideas were tested by the coach in the beginning. He has given England a clear system lately, building with a holding player, a No 8, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but the approach changed in this match. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, Adam Wharton made his first start for England and the role of the defender as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was faint echo to City's historic treble-winning side.

Inconsistent Display

His performance was inconsistent. He set up a shot for Eberechi Eze after the break but frequently appeared overly eager to shine. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. A pointless clash against an opponent early on. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania came after he lost the ball cheaply. His booking occurred when he was dispossessed by Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Squad Strength Shows

In the end England’s depth proved crucial. The coach brought on Foden, who seemed better suited to the spot occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Saka. In time Saka provided a corner kick for the captain to open the scoring. It was a reminder that set pieces will be crucial next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The quality of Rashford’s assist for Kane's goal was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the substitution incident. At the end, the focus was on Bellingham. The coach approached from behind and pushed Bellingham in the direction of the English fans. Their connection is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to discard him at this stage. However, whether the coach is prepared to grant him a starring role is not guaranteed.