🔗 Share this article

Should Bellingham hopes to fight his way back into England’s top squad, he would be wise to eliminate the dramatics. His response upon realizing that he was going up after an evening of mixed performance in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I prefer not to blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the teammates who substitute on," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you need to comply when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no need for a tantrum. The captain had only moments earlier made it England 2-0 up in a meaningless fixture, there were six minutes left and the player, after a below-par performance, received a caution for bringing down the Albanian striker. It was not a questionable change. Actually it might have been reckless for the head coach to not substitute him because there was a risk the midfielder would be suspended of the opening game of the competition by receiving a second yellow card.

Turning the Spotlight to Himself

However, the player drew all eyes toward himself. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s annoyance upon understanding that he would be substituted for a teammate. He threw his arms up and while he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the sideline it was obvious that the head coach was not impressed.

This is the challenge for Bellingham. He praised Rashford for delivering the cross for the captain to head in his second of the night, but his other actions was self-defeating. It's not like protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. Tuchel has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the value of acting professionally.

Facing Examination

He, left out of the team last month, has been under scrutiny after returning to the team recently. Practically he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours by reacting to being taken off as England wrapped up a ideal group stage by overcoming a feisty challenge from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

This implies it's unclear on how the squad perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. The performance was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel in the beginning. He has provided the squad organization and direction over the past few matches, employing a No 6, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and dedicated wide players, but the approach changed in this match. Quansah was handed his international debut, the midfielder was in the starting lineup at this level and the use of Stones as a makeshift midfielder gave a faint echo to Manchester City’s 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He created an opportunity for Eze in the latter period but frequently appeared overly eager to shine. Several hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player in the early stages. England's play was messy for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania followed he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card came after he lost the ball by Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

In the end the bench quality made the difference. Tuchel threw on Foden, who seemed more comfortable to the position occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Saka. In time Saka whipped in a corner kick for Harry Kane to open the scoring. It highlighted that set pieces will be crucial next summer.

Connection Remains

However, Bellingham was the story. The quality of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was a little lost due to the fuss of the substitution incident. At the end, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel walked up to his side and directed the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the away supporters. Their connection is not damaged. Tuchel hasn't decided to discard Bellingham yet. But if he is willing to offer him the central position remains in doubt.