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If Jude Bellingham hopes to fight his way into the English strongest starting eleven, he would be wise to cut out the nonsense. His response when he saw that he was going up after a match of uneven play in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to make more out of it but I stick to my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect for the players who enter the game," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you must accept them when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for an outburst. Kane had just put England two goals ahead in a meaningless qualifier, there were six minutes left and he, after a below-par performance, had just been booked for bringing down an opponent. This was hardly a controversial substitution. Actually it might have been reckless for the head coach to leave Bellingham on because there was a risk he would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the competition by picking up a another booking.

Drawing Attention to Himself

Yet Bellingham made himself the center of attention. There was no disguising the young midfielder's frustration when he clocked that he would be substituted for another player. He threw his arms up and although he exchanged a handshake on his way to the bench it was obvious that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded Rashford for delivering the cross for the captain to head in his second of the night, but everything else was harmful to his cause. It's not like protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has talked so much about following squad protocols and the necessity of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

He, left out of the team last month, has faced close inspection since coming back to the squad this month. Essentially his place has been in question and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to coming off the pitch as the national team wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by overcoming a tough opposition from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

This implies the jury is out on if the team function at their best when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was inconclusive. There was experimentation by the coach early on. He has given the team a clear system over the past few matches, building with a No 6, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but it felt different against Albania. The young defender was handed his international debut, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup at this level and the use of Stones as a part-time midfielder gave a faint echo to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He made a chance for Eze during the second half but often looked overly eager to shine. He made many rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. The team looked disjointed after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents came after Bellingham gave the ball away. His caution came after an opponent took the ball to Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately the squad's strength was decisive. The coach brought on Phil Foden, who appeared more naturally fitted to the position occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. In time Saka whipped in a set-piece for Kane to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

Still, though, Bellingham was the story. The excellence of Rashford's cross for the second goal was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, all eyes were on him. Tuchel came over behind him and pushed the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the travelling England fans. The bond between them is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to discard the player just yet. However, whether the coach is prepared to give him centre stage remains in doubt.