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Should Bellingham wants to force his way back into England’s top squad, he would be wise to cut out the unnecessary reactions. His response upon realizing that he was about to come up after a match of mixed performance in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not overstate it but I hold to my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the players who come in," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you must accept them as a player."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for an outburst. Kane had recently scored to make the national team 2-0 up in an inconsequential fixture, there were six minutes left and the player, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for fouling the Albanian striker. This was hardly a questionable change. Actually it might have been reckless for Tuchel to leave Bellingham on considering there was a chance he would make himself ineligible of the opening game of the World Cup by picking up a another booking.

Drawing Attention on Himself

Yet Bellingham made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the young midfielder's disappointment as he realized that he would be substituted for a teammate. He threw his arms up and while he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the bench it was clear that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

Here lies the test for Bellingham. He applauded his teammate for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to head in his second goal, but the rest was counterproductive. There was no chance protesting was going to alter the decision. The coach has repeatedly emphasized honoring the team structure and the necessity of behaving correctly.

Facing Examination

Bellingham, not included in last month’s squad, has faced close inspection upon his return to the team this month. Essentially he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to coming off the pitch as the side wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a tough opposition from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

It means the jury is out on whether the team perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. The performance was inconclusive. Some new ideas were tested from the manager in the beginning. He has provided the squad structure and clarity in recent months, using a No 6, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but there was a different feel versus Albania. Jarell Quansah was made his England debut, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup internationally and the role of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder created a similar look to Manchester City’s 2023 treble winners.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham had ups and downs. He set up a shot for his teammate after the break but frequently appeared overly eager to shine. Several rushed, misplaced passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder early on. The team looked disjointed after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents came after Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card came after he was dispossessed to Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Ultimately the bench quality was decisive. Tuchel introduced Foden, who looked better suited to the role occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka delivered a corner kick for Harry Kane to score the first goal. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations will be crucial at the World Cup.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, the focus was on Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, the focus was on him. Tuchel came over behind him and directed the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the travelling England fans. Their relationship remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to abandon the player just yet. However, whether the coach is prepared to offer him centre stage is not guaranteed.