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If Jude Bellingham aims to force his way back into the English top squad, the smart move to do away with the dramatics. His response upon realizing that the substitute board was being shown after an evening of uneven play in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to make more out of it but I hold to my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the players who come in," stated Tuchel. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for a strop. Harry Kane had recently scored to make England 2-0 up in a dead rubber match, the game had six minutes to go and he, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for bringing down the Albanian striker. It was not a debatable decision. Actually it would have been foolish for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch because it was possible Bellingham would make himself ineligible of the opening game of the tournament by picking up a another booking.

Shifting Focus Upon Himself

However, the player drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s disappointment when he clocked that he would be substituted for a teammate. He threw his arms up and while he exchanged a handshake after making his way to the bench there was no doubt that Tuchel was not impressed.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He applauded Rashford for providing the assist for Kane to score his second goal, but everything else was harmful to his cause. It is not as if arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The German has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the value of acting professionally.

In the Spotlight

He, left out of the previous squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the fold in the current camp. In effect he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to coming off the pitch as the national team completed a ideal group stage by defeating a tough opposition from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

This implies it's unclear on whether England perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel at the start. He has given the squad organization and direction over the past few matches, employing a holding player, a No 8, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed against Albania. Quansah was made his England debut, the midfielder made his first start internationally and the use of the defender as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was faint echo to 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 frequently appeared overly eager to shine. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. A pointless clash against an opponent early on. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. A scoring chance for the opponents came after he lost the ball cheaply. His booking came after he lost the ball by Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

In the end the squad's strength proved crucial. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who looked more comfortable to the spot occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and Saka. Eventually Saka whipped in a corner kick for the captain to break the deadlock. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks will play a key role at the World Cup.

Connection Remains

Still, though, Bellingham was the story. The quality of the winger's delivery for Kane's goal was partly forgotten amid the drama of the Rogers substitution. When the match concluded, all eyes were on 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 give up on him at this stage. But if the coach is prepared to grant him centre stage is still uncertain.