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For Bellingham to hopes to fight his way once again into England’s best starting eleven, the smart move to do away with the unnecessary reactions. His response when he saw that the substitute board was being shown after a match of inconsistency in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not make more out of it but I hold to my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect towards the teammates who substitute on," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no need for a tantrum. Kane had just put England two goals ahead in a dead rubber fixture, there were six minutes left and the player, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for a foul on Armando Broja. It was not a debatable decision. In fact it would have been unwise for Tuchel to not substitute him given that there was a chance he would rule himself out of the initial fixture of the competition by picking up a second caution.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham made himself the center of attention. There was no disguising the player's annoyance upon understanding that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and although he accepted the coach's hand while heading to the touchline it was clear that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

This is the challenge for Bellingham. He applauded his teammate for sending in the ball for Kane to score his second of the night, but the rest was counterproductive. It's not like complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has stressed repeatedly honoring the team structure and the importance of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, not included in the previous squad, has faced close inspection after returning to the team in the current camp. Practically his place has been in question and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to being taken off as the side completed a perfect qualifying campaign by overcoming a tough opposition from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

It means the jury is out on whether England function at their best including Bellingham. What we saw was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested from the manager early on. He has given England a clear system in recent months, employing a No 6, a central midfielder, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed against Albania. Jarell Quansah was made his England debut, the midfielder made his first start at this level and the use of Stones as a makeshift midfielder gave a passing resemblance to the Manchester club's team that won three trophies.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He created an opportunity for his teammate after the break but often looked too desperate to impress. He made many hurried and errant passes. A pointless clash with an Albania midfielder in the early stages. The team looked disjointed after halftime. One Albania chance resulted from Bellingham squandered possession. The yellow card came after an opponent took the ball to Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

In the end England’s depth proved crucial. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who looked more comfortable to the position occupied by Bellingham during the first half, and Saka. In time Saka delivered a corner for Kane to open the scoring. It highlighted that dead-ball situations will be crucial at the World Cup.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of Rashford's cross for the second goal was a little lost amid the drama of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, everyone was watching Bellingham. Tuchel walked up behind him and guided Bellingham in the direction of the English fans. The bond between them is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to discard the player just yet. Yet whether the coach is prepared to grant him the central position remains in doubt.