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Should Bellingham aims to earn his place back into the English top team, it would be smart to do away with the dramatics. The way he reacted after noticing that the substitute board was going up following a night of mixed performance in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect for the players who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it as a player."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for an outburst. Kane had just put the national team 2-0 up in a dead rubber qualifier, the game had six minutes to go and Bellingham, after a below-par performance, received a caution for a foul on an opponent. This could scarcely be called a controversial substitution. Indeed it would have been unwise for Tuchel to leave Bellingham on considering there was a chance Bellingham would be suspended of the initial fixture of the competition by getting a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention on Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s annoyance when he clocked that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and while he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the bench it was clear that Tuchel was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He congratulated Rashford for delivering the cross for Harry Kane to nod home his second of the night, but everything else was counterproductive. It is not as if protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The German has stressed repeatedly honoring the team structure and the necessity of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, omitted from last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the fold in the current camp. Essentially he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours through his behavior to being taken off as the national team completed a perfect qualifying campaign by defeating a feisty challenge from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

It means opinions are divided on whether England operate most effectively including Bellingham. The performance was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested by the coach early on. He has given England structure and clarity in recent months, employing a defensive midfielder, a No 8, a No 10 and specialist wingers, but it felt different in this match. Jarell Quansah was given his first cap, Wharton was in the starting lineup for England and the role of Stones as a makeshift midfielder gave a faint echo to Manchester City’s historic treble-winning side.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for Eberechi Eze after the break but frequently appeared overly eager to shine. There were a lot of poorly executed passes. A pointless clash with a rival player early on. England were ragged during most of the second period. A scoring chance for the opponents followed he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card occurred when he was dispossessed by Broja and fouled Broja.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately the bench quality proved crucial. Tuchel introduced Foden, who appeared better suited to the role in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka provided a set-piece for Kane to break the deadlock. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, the focus was on Bellingham. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for Kane's goal was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the Rogers substitution. At the end, the focus was on the midfielder. The coach approached behind him and pushed the player to acknowledge the travelling England fans. Their connection is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to abandon Bellingham yet. However, whether the coach is prepared to give him the central position is still uncertain.