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For Bellingham to hopes to force his way once again into England’s top starting eleven, the smart move to cut out the nonsense. His response upon realizing that he was about to come up after a match of uneven play in Tirana was not good enough.

"I’d rather not make more out of it but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and respect for the teammates who come in," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it as a player."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no need for a strop. Harry Kane had only moments earlier made it the national team leading by two in a dead rubber fixture, there were six minutes left and Bellingham, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for a foul on Armando Broja. It was not a controversial substitution. In fact it would have been foolish for the manager to leave Bellingham on because there was a risk he would make himself ineligible of the opening game of the competition by picking up a another booking.

Shifting Focus on Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s frustration upon understanding that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and although he shook Tuchel’s hand after making his way to the touchline it was clear that the head coach was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He applauded his teammate for delivering the cross for Kane to head in his second of the night, but the rest was self-defeating. There was no chance arguing was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has repeatedly emphasized following squad protocols and the importance of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

He, not included in last month’s squad, has faced close inspection since coming back to the fold this month. Practically his place has been in question and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to coming off the pitch as England wrapped up a ideal group stage by overcoming a tough opposition from Albania.

The System and the Setup

As a result opinions are divided on whether the squad perform optimally when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was not definitive. There was experimentation from Tuchel in the beginning. Under him, England have gained the squad a clear system over the past few matches, using a No 6, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but there was a different feel in this match. Quansah was made his England debut, the midfielder made his first start for England and the positioning of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was faint echo to the Manchester club's team that won three trophies.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He created an opportunity for Eberechi Eze during the second half but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. Several poorly executed passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with a rival player at the beginning. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania followed Bellingham squandered possession. The yellow card was shown after he lost the ball from Broja and brought down the attacker.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end England’s depth proved crucial. Tuchel threw on Foden, who appeared more naturally fitted to the position in which Bellingham operated during the first half, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka delivered a corner kick for Harry Kane to open the scoring. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

Still, though, the focus was on Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was partly forgotten amid the drama of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, the focus was on him. Tuchel came over from behind and guided the player towards the away supporters. Their relationship is not broken. Tuchel hasn't decided to abandon Bellingham yet. But if Tuchel is inclined to grant him the central position remains in doubt.