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If Jude Bellingham hopes to fight his way into England’s top squad, he would be wise to cut out the nonsense. The way he reacted after noticing that the substitute board was being shown after an evening of uneven play in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not make more out of it but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the players who substitute on," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you need to comply when you're on the field."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no call for an outburst. The captain had only moments earlier made it the Three Lions 2-0 up in a dead rubber match, the game had six minutes to go and he, who had not played particularly well, received a caution for fouling Armando Broja. It was not a debatable decision. Actually it would have been foolish for the manager to not substitute him considering there was a chance Bellingham would be suspended of the initial fixture of the World Cup by picking up a another booking.

Turning the Spotlight to Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. There was no disguising the young midfielder's disappointment when he clocked that his replacement was ready for a teammate. He flung his arms in the air and while he shook Tuchel’s hand after making his way to the bench there was no doubt that Tuchel was not impressed.

Here lies the test facing Bellingham. He praised his teammate for delivering the cross for the captain to score his second of the night, but his other actions was counterproductive. It's not like protesting was going to reverse the substitution. The German has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the value of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

The midfielder, omitted from the team last month, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the squad in the current camp. Essentially he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours by reacting to his substitution as the side completed a ideal group stage by defeating a tough opposition from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

As a result the jury is out on how the squad perform optimally when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was inconclusive. Some new ideas were tested from the manager early on. He has given the squad a clear system in recent months, employing a holding player, a central midfielder, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but there was a different feel against Albania. Quansah was handed his international debut, Wharton made his first start for England and the use of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder created a passing resemblance to City's 2023 treble winners.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for his teammate during the second half but at times seemed too desperate to impress. There were a lot of rushed, misplaced passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player at the beginning. England were ragged for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card came after he lost the ball from Broja and brought down Broja.

Substitutes Decide

Finally England’s depth was decisive. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who seemed better suited to the role occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. Eventually Saka delivered a set-piece for Harry Kane to break the deadlock. It highlighted that dead-ball situations will play a key role next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The quality of Rashford's cross for the second goal was a little lost due to the fuss of the player change. When the match concluded, everyone was watching Bellingham. Tuchel came over from behind and pushed Bellingham in the direction of the English fans. Their relationship is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to discard the player just yet. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to give him the central position is still uncertain.