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For Bellingham to hopes to force his way back into the English best starting eleven, he would be wise to do away with the nonsense. His response upon realizing that the substitute board was going up after a match of inconsistency in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to make more out of it but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and respect for the players who substitute on," commented the coach. "Choices are taken and you must accept them when you're on the field."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for an outburst. The captain had only moments earlier made it England two goals ahead in a meaningless match, with only six minutes remaining and the player, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for bringing down the Albanian striker. It was not a controversial substitution. In fact it would have been foolish for the head coach to not substitute him because there was a risk the midfielder would rule himself out of the first match of the tournament by getting a another booking.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s disappointment when he clocked that he was going to make way for a teammate. He flung his arms in the air and although he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the sideline it was obvious that the head coach did not appreciate it.

Here lies the test for Bellingham. He applauded Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for Kane to score his second goal, but the rest was counterproductive. There was no chance complaining was going to alter the decision. The coach has talked so much about following squad protocols and the importance of behaving correctly.

Facing Examination

The midfielder, not included in the previous squad, has faced close inspection since coming back to the squad in the current camp. Practically he was being assessed and he hasn't helped his case with his response to being taken off as England wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a tough opposition from their opponents.

Tactics and Formation

This implies it's unclear on how the squad perform optimally when Bellingham plays. The performance was inconclusive. Some new ideas were tested by the coach early on. Under him, England have gained England organization and direction in recent months, employing a holding player, a central midfielder, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but the approach changed against Albania. The young defender was given his first cap, Wharton was in the starting lineup at this level and the use of the defender as an auxiliary midfielder gave a similar look to Manchester City’s 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for his teammate during the second half but often looked too desperate to impress. There were a lot of poorly executed passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder in the early stages. England were ragged for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania came after Bellingham squandered possession. His booking occurred when he lost the ball by Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Substitutes Decide

Finally the squad's strength made the difference. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who seemed more naturally fitted to the position in which Bellingham operated during the first half, and Saka. Eventually Saka provided a corner kick for Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations will play a key role at the World Cup.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for the second goal was somewhat overlooked amid the drama of the Rogers substitution. After the final whistle, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel walked up from behind and pushed the Real Madrid midfielder towards the English fans. The bond between them is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to abandon the player just yet. But if he is willing to grant him a starring role is not guaranteed.