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For Bellingham to aims to earn his place once again into the English strongest team, the smart move to eliminate the dramatics. His response upon realizing that his number was being shown following a night of uneven play in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I’d rather not make more out of it but I hold to my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect towards the squad members who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply when you're on the field."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for an outburst. The captain had only moments earlier made it the Three Lions 2-0 up in a dead rubber qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and Bellingham, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for bringing down Armando Broja. This was hardly a questionable change. Indeed it might have been reckless for Tuchel to leave Bellingham on given that there was a chance Bellingham would make himself ineligible of the opening game of the tournament by receiving a another booking.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. No one could overlook the player'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 accepted the coach's hand while heading to the touchline it was clear that Tuchel was displeased.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He praised his teammate for delivering the cross for Kane to head in his second goal, but everything else was harmful to his cause. It's not like complaining was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has talked so much about following squad protocols and the necessity of showing proper conduct.

In the Spotlight

He, left out of last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the team this month. 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 defeating a tough opposition from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

It means it's unclear on whether the team function at their best with Bellingham in the team. The evidence here was open to interpretation. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel at the start. He has given the squad structure and clarity over the past few matches, building with a holding player, a central midfielder, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but the approach changed in this match. The young defender was given his first cap, the midfielder started for the first time for England and the use of Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was faint echo to Manchester City’s historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for Eze during the second half but frequently appeared trying too hard. Several rushed, misplaced passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder early on. England's play was messy during most of the second period. A scoring chance for the opponents resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card occurred when he was dispossessed to Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally the bench quality was decisive. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who seemed more naturally fitted to the spot occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and Saka. Eventually Saka delivered a corner for Harry Kane to score the first goal. It highlighted that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The quality of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was a little lost due to the fuss of the Rogers substitution. At the end, all eyes were on him. Tuchel came over to his side and pushed Bellingham to acknowledge the English fans. Their connection is not broken. The coach isn't ready to discard him at this stage. However, whether he is willing to give him centre stage is not guaranteed.