🔗 Share this article

For Bellingham to hopes to earn his place back into England’s best starting eleven, it would be smart to do away with the unnecessary reactions. The way he reacted when he saw that the substitute board was about to come up after a match of uneven play in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I don’t want to make more out of it but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the teammates who come in," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you must accept them being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no need for a tantrum. The captain had only moments earlier made it the Three Lions leading by two in an inconsequential qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and Bellingham, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for a foul on an opponent. It was not a controversial substitution. In fact it would have been unwise for Tuchel to leave Bellingham on given that there was a risk Bellingham would be suspended of the initial fixture of the competition by getting a another booking.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s annoyance as he realized that he was going to make way for another player. He threw his arms up and although he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the bench it was obvious that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He congratulated his teammate for delivering the cross for the captain to score his second of the night, but everything else was self-defeating. It's not like complaining was going to alter the decision. Tuchel has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the importance of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, omitted from last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the team this month. Essentially his place has been in question and he has not done himself any favours with his response to coming off the pitch as England wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a feisty challenge from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

This implies it's unclear on if England function at their best when Bellingham plays. What we saw was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested from the manager at the start. Under him, England have gained the team a clear system lately, using a No 6, a No 8, a No 10 and specialist wingers, but it felt different in this match. Jarell Quansah was given his first cap, the midfielder was in the starting lineup for England and the positioning of the defender as a makeshift midfielder gave a faint echo to Manchester City’s 2023 treble winners.

Mixed Performance

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for Eze in the latter period but at times seemed overly eager to shine. There were a lot of rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. England were ragged after halftime. One Albania chance resulted from Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card was shown after he was dispossessed to Broja and fouled Broja.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately the bench quality was decisive. Tuchel threw on Foden, who appeared more comfortable to the role occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka delivered a set-piece for Harry Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations will be crucial at the World Cup.

Connection Remains

Still, though, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of Rashford's cross for Kane's goal was a little lost in the ridiculousness of the player change. After the final whistle, all eyes were on Bellingham. Tuchel came over to his side and guided the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the travelling England fans. Their relationship is not damaged. Tuchel hasn't decided to abandon the player just yet. Yet whether Tuchel is inclined to offer him centre stage is not guaranteed.