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If Jude Bellingham hopes to earn his place once again into the English strongest team, he would be wise to do away with the dramatics. His reaction after noticing that the substitute board was being shown after an evening of inconsistency in Tirana was not good enough.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect for the teammates who come in," Tuchel said. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for a strop. Harry Kane had only moments earlier made it the Three Lions 2-0 up in a meaningless qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and Bellingham, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for bringing down an opponent. It was not a controversial substitution. Indeed it would have been foolish for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering there was a risk he would make himself ineligible of the first match of the World Cup by getting a second caution.

Drawing Attention to Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s disappointment upon understanding that his replacement was ready for a teammate. He flung his arms in the air and even though he exchanged a handshake after making his way to the sideline it was obvious that Tuchel was not impressed.

Here lies the test for Bellingham. He congratulated Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to score his second of the night, but everything else was counterproductive. It's not like protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the importance of acting professionally.

Facing Examination

Bellingham, not included in the team last month, has been under scrutiny after returning to the squad recently. Essentially he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to being taken off as England completed a ideal group stage by seeing off a feisty challenge from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

This implies the jury is out on whether the squad perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. The evidence here was inconclusive. There was experimentation from the manager in the beginning. Under him, England have gained the team organization and direction in recent months, employing a No 6, a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and specialist wingers, but the approach changed in this match. The young defender was handed his international debut, Wharton started for the first time for England and the role of the defender as a part-time midfielder created a similar look to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for Eberechi Eze after the break but frequently appeared overly eager to shine. Several hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent at the beginning. England were ragged for much of the second half. One Albania chance followed Bellingham gave the ball away. His caution occurred when he was dispossessed to Broja and fouled Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

Finally the squad's strength made the difference. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who appeared more naturally fitted to the position in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka whipped in a corner kick for Harry Kane to score the first goal. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations will be crucial next summer.

Connection Remains

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of the winger's delivery for Kane's goal was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, everyone was watching him. The coach approached from behind and pushed the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the English fans. Their relationship is not broken. The coach isn't ready to discard Bellingham yet. Yet whether he is willing to grant him a starring role remains in doubt.