🔗 Share this article

If Jude Bellingham wants to force his way into the English strongest starting eleven, it would be smart to cut out the dramatics. The way he reacted when he saw that his number was being shown following a night of mixed performance in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not overstate it but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and respect towards the teammates who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you must accept them as a player."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a strop. The captain had just put the national team 2-0 up in an inconsequential match, the game had six minutes to go and he, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for fouling Armando Broja. This was hardly a questionable change. In fact it would have been unwise for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch because there was a chance Bellingham would rule himself out of the first match of the competition by getting a second caution.

Shifting Focus on Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's frustration upon understanding that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand after making his way to the touchline there was no doubt that the head coach was not impressed.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He praised Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to score his second goal, but the rest was harmful to his cause. It's not like protesting was going to reverse the substitution. The German has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the importance of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, left out of last month’s squad, is being watched carefully since coming back to the squad in the current camp. Essentially his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case through his behavior to being taken off as the side completed a flawless qualification run by seeing off a tough opposition from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

As a result opinions are divided on whether England perform optimally including Bellingham. The performance was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested by the coach early on. He has given England organization and direction lately, employing a defensive midfielder, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but there was a different feel versus Albania. The young defender was given his first cap, Wharton made his first start for England and the use of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder gave a faint echo to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for his teammate after the break but at times seemed trying too hard. He made many hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent in the early stages. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. An opportunity for Albania resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. His caution was shown after he was dispossessed to Broja and brought down the attacker.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end the bench quality proved crucial. The coach brought on Foden, who looked more comfortable to the role occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and Saka. Eventually Saka delivered a set-piece for Harry Kane to score the first goal. It highlighted that set pieces are going to be vital at the World Cup.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, the focus was on Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was a little lost in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, all eyes were on him. The coach approached behind him and directed the player in the direction of the travelling England fans. Their relationship is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to give up on the player just yet. Yet whether Tuchel is inclined to offer him centre stage is not guaranteed.