🔗 Share this article Bellingham Must Drop the Petulance to Earn a Central Place With Manager Thomas Tuchel. For Bellingham to aims to force his way once again into the English strongest squad, it would be smart to do away with the dramatics. His reaction after noticing that he was being shown after an evening of uneven play in Tirana was not good enough. "I don’t want to make more out of it but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the players who enter the game," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply being a professional." The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a tantrum. The captain had just put the national team leading by two in a meaningless match, there were six minutes left and the player, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for a foul on an opponent. It was not a debatable decision. Actually it might have been reckless for the head coach to leave Bellingham on given that there was a chance he would be suspended of the initial fixture of the tournament by receiving a another booking. Drawing Attention on Himself However, the player turned the spotlight on himself. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s disappointment as he realized that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and even though he exchanged a handshake after making his way to the bench it was obvious that the manager was not impressed. Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded his teammate for delivering the cross for Harry Kane to head in his second of the night, but his other actions was self-defeating. It is not as if arguing was going to alter the decision. Tuchel has talked so much about following squad protocols and the value of behaving correctly. In the Spotlight He, left out of the previous squad, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the squad this month. Essentially his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case through his behavior to being taken off as England rounded off a flawless qualification run by defeating a tough opposition from their opponents. The System and the Setup As a result it's unclear on how the squad perform optimally including Bellingham. The evidence here was open to interpretation. Tuchel tried new things by the coach in the beginning. Under him, England have gained England organization and direction in recent months, using a No 6, a box-to-box player, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but there was a different feel versus Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, the midfielder made his first start at this level and the positioning of the defender as an auxiliary midfielder gave a faint echo to the Manchester club'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 poorly executed passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with a rival player early on. The team looked disjointed after halftime. An opportunity for Albania followed Bellingham squandered possession. His caution was shown after he was dispossessed to Broja and committed a foul on Broja. Squad Strength Shows In the end England’s depth made the difference. The coach brought on the Manchester City player, who appeared better suited to the spot that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and Saka. In time Saka provided a set-piece for the captain to open the scoring. It was a reminder that set pieces will play a key role at the World Cup. Bridge Still Stands Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for Kane's goal was partly forgotten amid the drama of the substitution incident. At the end, all eyes were on Bellingham. The coach approached to his side and pushed Bellingham in the direction of the English fans. Their relationship remains intact. The coach isn't ready to give up on the player just yet. But if Tuchel is inclined to grant him centre stage remains in doubt.