Jude Bellingham Has to Drop the Nonsense to Reclaim a Central Place With Manager Thomas Tuchel.

If Jude Bellingham aims to force his way into the English top team, he would be wise to cut out the nonsense. The way he reacted after noticing that his number was going up after a match of mixed performance in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect towards the teammates who substitute on," Tuchel said. "Choices are taken and you need to comply being a professional."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for an outburst. The captain had just put the Three Lions leading by two in a meaningless match, the game had six minutes to go and he, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for a foul on Armando Broja. It was not a debatable decision. Indeed it might have been reckless for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch because it was possible the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the competition by getting a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight to Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. There was no disguising the young midfielder's frustration as he realized that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and although he shook Tuchel’s hand after making his way to the bench there was no doubt that the head coach did not appreciate it.

Here lies the test for Bellingham. He applauded Rashford for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to nod home his second goal, but the rest was harmful to his cause. There was no chance arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has talked so much about respecting team hierarchies and the necessity of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

Bellingham, not included in the team last month, has faced close inspection after returning to the team recently. In effect he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to coming off the pitch as England rounded off a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a spirited effort from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

This implies opinions are divided on if the squad function at their best including Bellingham. The performance was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel early on. Under him, England have gained the team organization and direction lately, building with a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed versus Albania. Quansah was made his England debut, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup for England and the role of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder gave a passing resemblance to City's historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for Eberechi Eze after the break but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. He made many hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. England's play was messy after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents followed Bellingham gave the ball away. His booking came after he was dispossessed by Broja and fouled Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

Ultimately the squad's strength made the difference. The coach brought on Phil Foden, who looked more naturally fitted to the position that Bellingham had played during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka provided a corner for the captain to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

Still, though, the focus was on Bellingham. The excellence of the winger's delivery for the second goal was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel walked up to his side and directed the player towards the English fans. Their connection remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to abandon Bellingham yet. However, whether he is willing to offer him centre stage remains in doubt.