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For Bellingham to wants to earn his place into England’s strongest squad, it would be smart to do away with the nonsense. His reaction after noticing that his number was going up after an evening of mixed performance in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I don’t want to overstate it but I stick to my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the squad members who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it as a player."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no need for an outburst. Harry Kane had just put the Three Lions leading by two in a dead rubber match, there were six minutes left and the player, after a below-par performance, received a caution for fouling Armando Broja. It was not a debatable decision. In fact it might have been reckless for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch given that it was possible Bellingham would rule himself out of the first match of the competition by picking up a second caution.

Shifting Focus on Himself

Yet Bellingham made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the player's disappointment as he realized that he was going to make way for a teammate. His arms went up in exasperation and even though he exchanged a handshake while heading to the sideline it was obvious that the head coach did not appreciate it.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He congratulated Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for Kane to head in his second of the night, but everything else was harmful to his cause. It is not as if protesting was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has talked so much about following squad protocols and the value of showing proper conduct.

In the Spotlight

He, left out of the previous squad, has faced close inspection after returning to the squad recently. In effect he has been on trial and he has not done himself any favours through his behavior to coming off the pitch as England rounded off a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

Tactics and Formation

This implies the jury is out on whether England function at their best when Bellingham plays. What we saw was inconclusive. There was experimentation from Tuchel at the start. He has provided the squad a clear system lately, building with a holding player, a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed against Albania. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, the midfielder was in the starting lineup for England and the use of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder created a passing resemblance to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for Eberechi Eze after the break but often looked overly eager to shine. Several hurried and errant passes. A pointless clash with an Albania midfielder in the early stages. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. A scoring chance for the opponents followed he lost the ball cheaply. His caution came after an opponent took the ball to Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally England’s depth made the difference. The coach brought on Phil Foden, who seemed better suited to the role in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and Saka. Later Saka provided a corner kick for the captain to break the deadlock. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations are going to be vital at the World Cup.

Relationship Not Broken

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for the second goal was somewhat overlooked amid the drama of the Rogers substitution. When the match concluded, all eyes were on the midfielder. The coach approached to his side and pushed the player to acknowledge the away supporters. The bond between them is not broken. Tuchel hasn't decided to discard Bellingham yet. Yet whether he is willing to give him a starring role is not guaranteed.