For Bellingham to aims to earn his place into England’s best team, it would be smart to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. His reaction upon realizing that his number was going up after a match of mixed performance in Tirana fell short of expectations.
"I don’t want to make more out of it but I hold to my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the players who come in," commented the coach. "Choices are taken and you need to comply being a professional."
The midfielder must understand. There was no need for an outburst. Harry Kane had only moments earlier made it the Three Lions 2-0 up in a dead rubber fixture, there were six minutes left and he, who had not played particularly well, received a caution for fouling Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a debatable decision. Indeed it would have been foolish for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch given that it was possible he would rule himself out of the initial fixture of the World Cup by getting a second caution.
However, the player drew all eyes toward himself. There was no disguising the young midfielder's disappointment when he clocked that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and while he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the touchline there was no doubt that the manager was not impressed.
This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He congratulated Marcus Rashford for delivering the cross for Harry Kane to score his second of the night, but everything else was harmful to his cause. It's not like complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. Tuchel has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the necessity of behaving correctly.
The midfielder, omitted from the previous squad, has been under scrutiny since coming back to the squad in the current camp. In effect his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case with his response to being taken off as the side wrapped up a flawless qualification run by defeating a tough opposition from their opponents.
It means the jury is out on how the squad perform optimally when Bellingham plays. What we saw was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel early on. Under him, England have gained the team a clear system lately, building with a holding player, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and dedicated wide players, but there was a different feel versus Albania. Quansah was made his England debut, Wharton made his first start at this level and the use of the defender as a part-time midfielder meant there was passing resemblance to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.
His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. Several poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player early on. England's play was messy after halftime. An opportunity for Albania followed he lost the ball cheaply. His booking was shown after he lost the ball by Broja and fouled Broja.
Finally the squad's strength was decisive. Tuchel introduced Foden, who appeared better suited to the position in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka whipped in a set-piece for the captain to score the first goal. It was a reminder that set pieces will be crucial at the World Cup.
However, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel came over to his side and directed the player in the direction of the travelling England fans. The bond between them is not broken. The coach isn't ready to discard the player just yet. But if Tuchel is inclined to give him a starring role is still uncertain.
Elara is a seasoned gaming journalist with a passion for slot mechanics and player strategies.
