🔗 Share this article

Should Bellingham aims to fight his way once again into the English strongest starting eleven, it would be smart to do away with the nonsense. His reaction when he saw that he was being shown after a match of mixed performance in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the players who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Decisions are made and you need to comply when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for an outburst. Kane had just put the national team two goals ahead in a dead rubber fixture, there were six minutes left and the player, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for fouling Armando Broja. It was not a controversial substitution. Indeed it might have been reckless for Tuchel to not substitute him considering there was a risk the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the first match of the World Cup by receiving a second caution.

Drawing Attention to Himself

However, the player drew all eyes toward himself. There was no disguising the 22-year-old’s annoyance as he realized that he was going to make way for a teammate. He flung his arms in the air and while he exchanged a handshake while heading to the bench it was obvious that the manager was not impressed.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He praised Marcus Rashford for delivering the cross for the captain to nod home his second of the night, but the rest was harmful to his cause. There was no chance complaining was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has repeatedly emphasized following squad protocols and the necessity of showing proper conduct.

In the Spotlight

Bellingham, not included in the team last month, is being watched carefully upon his return to the team recently. Practically he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to being taken off as England completed a flawless qualification run by seeing off a tough opposition from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

It means the jury is out on how the team operate most effectively with Bellingham in the team. The evidence here was open to interpretation. Tuchel tried new things from the manager early on. He has given the team structure and clarity in recent months, using a No 6, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but there was a different feel in this match. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, the midfielder started for the first time for England and the use of John Stones as a part-time midfielder created a similar look to City's team that won three trophies.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He set up a shot for Eberechi Eze after the break but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. There were a lot of rushed, misplaced passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player at the beginning. England were ragged after halftime. An opportunity for Albania followed Bellingham squandered possession. His booking was shown after an opponent took the ball to Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Ultimately the bench quality proved crucial. The coach brought on Foden, who appeared more comfortable to the role in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka whipped in a set-piece for Harry Kane to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that set pieces will play a key role next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel came over to his side and directed the player to acknowledge the away supporters. The bond between them is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to discard the player just yet. Yet whether he is willing to grant him centre stage is not guaranteed.