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If Jude Bellingham aims to earn his place once again into England’s strongest team, it would be smart to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. The way he reacted after noticing that the substitute board was being shown after a match of uneven play in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not overstate it but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and respect towards the teammates who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you must accept them when you're on the field."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no need for a strop. Kane had only moments earlier made it the national team leading by two in a dead rubber fixture, the game had six minutes to go and he, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for fouling Armando Broja. This was hardly a controversial substitution. Actually it would have been unwise for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering there was a risk he would be suspended of the first match of the competition by getting a second yellow card.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s frustration upon understanding that he was going to make way for another player. His arms went up in exasperation and while he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the touchline there was no doubt that Tuchel was displeased.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He congratulated Rashford for delivering the cross for Harry Kane to head in the team's second, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. There was no chance arguing was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has talked so much about following squad protocols and the necessity of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

He, left out of the team last month, has been under scrutiny after returning to the squad this month. Essentially he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to coming off the pitch as the side completed a ideal group stage by defeating a tough opposition from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

This implies the jury is out on whether the squad operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. The performance was inconclusive. There was experimentation from the manager early on. He has given England a clear system lately, building with a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel versus Albania. Quansah was made his England debut, the midfielder was in the starting lineup for England and the positioning of the defender as a part-time midfielder gave a faint echo 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 at times seemed overly eager to shine. Several hurried and errant passes. A pointless clash with a rival player at the beginning. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. A scoring chance for the opponents came after he lost the ball cheaply. His caution came after an opponent took the ball to Broja and fouled the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately the bench quality was decisive. Tuchel introduced Foden, who looked more comfortable to the spot in which Bellingham operated during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. Eventually Saka whipped in a set-piece for Harry Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that set pieces will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The quality of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was partly forgotten amid the drama of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, the focus was on him. Tuchel walked up behind him and guided Bellingham towards the away supporters. Their connection remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to give up on Bellingham yet. Yet whether the coach is prepared to give him a starring role remains in doubt.