🔗 Share this article

Should Bellingham hopes to earn his place into the English top team, it would be smart to eliminate the dramatics. His reaction upon realizing that the substitute board was going up after an evening of mixed performance in Tirana was not good enough.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the squad members who come in," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it being a professional."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for a strop. Kane had only moments earlier made it England two goals ahead in a dead rubber fixture, with only six minutes remaining and he, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for bringing down an opponent. It was not a controversial substitution. Actually it would have been foolish for the head coach to leave Bellingham on because there was a chance he would rule himself out of the first match of the World Cup by picking up a second yellow card.

Shifting Focus on Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's annoyance when he clocked that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and while he accepted the coach's hand while heading to the touchline there was no doubt that the manager was displeased.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He praised Rashford for sending in the ball for the captain to score his second goal, but the rest was counterproductive. It's not like arguing was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has stressed repeatedly honoring the team structure and the necessity of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, omitted from the team last month, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the squad this month. Practically he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours with his response to his substitution as England wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by defeating a tough opposition from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

As a result opinions are divided on if the squad operate most effectively including Bellingham. What we saw was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel early on. Under him, England have gained the team structure and clarity in recent months, using a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different in this match. Jarell Quansah was made his England debut, Wharton started for the first time internationally and the positioning of John Stones as a part-time midfielder meant there was faint echo to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He made a chance for Eze in the latter period but often looked trying too hard. He made many rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash against an opponent in the early stages. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card was shown after he lost the ball to Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately England’s depth proved crucial. The coach brought on the Manchester City player, who appeared more comfortable to the position that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka whipped in a corner kick for Kane to open the scoring. It was a reminder that set pieces will play a key role next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, Bellingham was the story. The excellence of the winger's delivery for the second goal was somewhat overlooked amid the drama of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, the focus was on Bellingham. Tuchel walked up from behind and pushed the player to acknowledge the English fans. Their relationship is not damaged. Tuchel hasn't decided to abandon Bellingham yet. However, whether he is willing to give him the central position remains in doubt.