🔗 Share this article

Should Bellingham aims to earn his place into the English strongest starting eleven, it would be smart to cut out the unnecessary reactions. His response after noticing that his number was about to come up after a match of inconsistency in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to overstate it but I stick to my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the players who substitute on," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you must accept them when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for an outburst. Kane had just put England leading by two in a dead rubber fixture, with only six minutes remaining and the player, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for fouling the Albanian striker. It was not a questionable change. Actually it would have been unwise for the manager to leave Bellingham on because there was a chance he would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the competition by getting a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight on Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the player's annoyance upon understanding that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and although he exchanged a handshake after making his way to the touchline there was no doubt that the manager did not appreciate it.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded Marcus Rashford for providing the assist for Kane to nod home the team's second, but everything else was self-defeating. It is not as if complaining was going to alter the decision. The coach has talked so much about following squad protocols and the value of behaving correctly.

Facing Examination

Bellingham, omitted from the team last month, has faced close inspection after returning to the fold recently. In effect he has been on trial and he has not done himself any favours with his response to coming off the pitch as England completed a flawless qualification run by overcoming a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

It means it's unclear on how the squad perform optimally when Bellingham plays. What we saw was open to interpretation. There was experimentation from Tuchel at the start. Under him, England have gained the team organization and direction lately, using a holding player, a No 8, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different in this match. Jarell Quansah was given his first cap, Adam Wharton started for the first time at this level and the use of Stones as a part-time midfielder gave a similar look to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham had ups and downs. He set up a shot for his teammate during the second half but often looked overly eager to shine. He made many poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder early on. The team looked disjointed after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. His booking came after he was dispossessed from Broja and brought down the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately the bench quality proved crucial. The coach brought on the Manchester City player, who looked more comfortable to the role that Bellingham had played in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka whipped in a corner for the captain to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that set pieces will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of Rashford’s assist for Kane's goal was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the player change. At the end, everyone was watching the midfielder. Tuchel walked up to his side and pushed the player towards the English fans. Their relationship is not broken. The coach isn't ready to give up on Bellingham yet. Yet whether the coach is prepared to give him a starring role is still uncertain.