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If Jude Bellingham hopes to fight his way back into the English best squad, the smart move to cut out the nonsense. The way he reacted after noticing that the substitute board was going up following a night of uneven play in Tirana was not good enough.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the teammates who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it as a player."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for a tantrum. The captain had recently scored to make the Three Lions leading by two in an inconsequential fixture, with only six minutes remaining and the player, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for bringing down Armando Broja. It was not a debatable decision. In fact it would have been foolish for Tuchel to leave Bellingham on because there was a risk the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the first match of the competition by getting a second caution.

Shifting Focus to Himself

However, the player drew all eyes toward himself. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s disappointment upon understanding that his replacement was ready for another player. He threw his arms up and while he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the sideline it was clear that Tuchel was displeased.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He congratulated Rashford for providing the assist for Kane to head in his second of the night, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. It's not like complaining was going to alter the decision. Tuchel has talked so much about respecting team hierarchies and the importance of acting professionally.

In the Spotlight

The midfielder, omitted from the team last month, has been under scrutiny after returning to the team this month. In effect he has been on trial and he has not done himself any favours by reacting to his substitution as England rounded off a flawless qualification run by seeing off a tough opposition from their opponents.

Tactics and Formation

It means it's unclear on how the team operate most effectively including Bellingham. What we saw was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested by the coach in the beginning. He has given the squad structure and clarity over the past few matches, employing a No 6, a No 8, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different in this match. The young defender was given his first cap, the midfielder started for the first time internationally and the positioning of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder gave a similar look to City's team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for his teammate in the latter period but frequently appeared trying too hard. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. A pointless clash against an opponent early on. England's play was messy during most of the second period. A scoring chance for the opponents resulted from Bellingham gave the ball away. His booking was shown after an opponent took the ball to Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

Finally England’s depth made the difference. The coach brought on the Manchester City player, who looked better suited to the spot that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka provided a corner kick for Kane to score the first goal. It was a reminder that set pieces will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the player change. When the match concluded, all eyes were on him. Tuchel came over to his side and guided the player to acknowledge the travelling England fans. Their connection is not damaged. Tuchel hasn't decided to discard the player just yet. However, whether he is willing to offer him centre stage is still uncertain.