Bellingham Has to Cut Out the Immature behavior to Reclaim a Key Position Under Manager Thomas Tuchel.

If Jude Bellingham wants to earn his place into England’s strongest starting eleven, he would be wise to cut out the unnecessary reactions. His reaction when he saw that the substitute board was being shown following a night of mixed performance in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I prefer not to blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect for the teammates who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it as a player."

The midfielder must understand. There was no need for an outburst. Kane had just put the national team two goals ahead in a meaningless match, the game had six minutes to go and he, who had not played particularly well, received a caution for a foul on an opponent. This was hardly a debatable decision. Indeed it would have been unwise for Tuchel to leave Bellingham on because there was a risk the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the first match of the tournament by picking up a second yellow card.

Shifting Focus to Himself

But Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. There was no disguising the player's disappointment when he clocked that his replacement was ready for another player. He threw his arms up and although he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the sideline it was clear that the manager was displeased.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He praised Rashford for sending in the ball for Kane to head in his second of the night, but his other actions was counterproductive. It is not as if protesting was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has stressed repeatedly respecting team hierarchies and the value of acting professionally.

Facing Examination

He, left out of the previous squad, has been under scrutiny since coming back to the team this month. In effect he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case by reacting to being taken off as the side wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by overcoming a feisty challenge from Albania.

The System and the Setup

It means opinions are divided on how the squad perform optimally including Bellingham. The evidence here was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested from the manager in the beginning. He has given the squad a clear system lately, employing a defensive midfielder, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed in this match. Quansah was handed his international debut, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup for England and the role of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was faint echo to the Manchester club's team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He made a chance for Eberechi Eze during the second half but at times seemed overly eager to shine. Several poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation against an opponent at the beginning. England's play was messy after halftime. One Albania chance resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card came after he lost the ball from Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Ultimately the bench quality was decisive. Tuchel threw on Foden, who looked more comfortable to the spot in which Bellingham operated during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka whipped in a corner for the captain to score the first goal. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks will play a key role next summer.

Connection Remains

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the Rogers substitution. When the match concluded, the focus was on Bellingham. The coach approached to his side and directed Bellingham towards the English fans. Their relationship is not broken. The coach isn't ready to abandon him at this stage. Yet whether he is willing to offer him a starring role is not guaranteed.