🔗 Share this article

Should Bellingham wants to fight his way once again into the English best team, he would be wise to cut out the dramatics. His response after noticing that he was being shown after a match of uneven play in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the teammates who come in," stated Tuchel. "Decisions are made and you need to comply when you're on the field."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for an outburst. Kane had only moments earlier made it the Three Lions two goals ahead in a dead rubber fixture, the game had six minutes to go and the player, who had not played particularly well, received a caution for a foul on the Albanian striker. This was hardly a debatable decision. In fact it might have been reckless for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch because there was a risk Bellingham would be suspended of the first match of the competition by getting a another booking.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham made himself the center of attention. There was no disguising the player's annoyance when he clocked that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and even though he exchanged a handshake after making his way to the sideline there was no doubt that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

This is the challenge that Bellingham must overcome. He congratulated Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to nod home the team's second, but the rest was harmful to his cause. It's not like complaining was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has stressed repeatedly honoring the team structure and the importance of showing proper conduct.

In the Spotlight

He, left out of the previous squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the team in the current camp. In effect he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case by reacting to being taken off as the national team wrapped up a ideal group stage by overcoming a tough opposition from the Albanian team.

Tactics and Formation

As a result it's unclear on whether England operate most effectively with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was open to interpretation. There was experimentation from Tuchel early on. He has given the squad organization and direction over the past few matches, building with a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, a playmaker and specialist wingers, but it felt different in this match. The young defender was handed his international debut, the midfielder started for the first time for England and the positioning of Stones as a part-time midfielder gave a faint echo to Manchester City’s historic treble-winning side.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for Eberechi Eze during the second half but at times seemed trying too hard. He made many rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash with a rival player in the early stages. The team looked disjointed after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents followed he lost the ball cheaply. His caution was shown after he lost the ball by Broja and brought down Broja.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately the bench quality made the difference. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who seemed better suited to the position occupied by Bellingham during the first half, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka provided a set-piece for Harry Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that set pieces are going to be vital next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was a little lost amid the drama of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, the focus was on Bellingham. Tuchel walked up to his side and pushed the player towards the away supporters. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to give up on the player just yet. But if he is willing to grant him the central position remains in doubt.