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If Jude Bellingham wants to earn his place once again into England’s top starting eleven, the smart move to do away with the nonsense. The way he reacted when he saw that the substitute board was about to come up following a night of uneven play in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I don’t want to overstate it but I stick to my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the players who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. It was unnecessary for an outburst. Harry Kane had recently scored to make the Three Lions two goals ahead in a meaningless match, with only six minutes remaining and Bellingham, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for fouling an opponent. It was not a debatable decision. Indeed it might have been reckless for the head coach to leave Bellingham on because there was a chance Bellingham would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the tournament by receiving a another booking.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. There was no disguising the young midfielder's disappointment as he realized that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and although he shook Tuchel’s hand after making his way to the touchline it was obvious that Tuchel was displeased.

This is the challenge that Bellingham must overcome. He praised his teammate for sending in the ball for Kane to score his second of the night, but everything else was counterproductive. It's not like protesting was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the importance of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

He, left out of the previous squad, is being watched carefully since coming back to the fold recently. Essentially his place has been in question and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to his substitution as the national team completed a perfect qualifying campaign by overcoming a tough opposition from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

This implies the jury is out on whether England function at their best including Bellingham. The evidence here was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel in the beginning. He has provided the team a clear system over the past few matches, building with a holding player, a central midfielder, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different in this match. Quansah was given his first cap, Wharton made his first start for England and the positioning of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was similar look to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

His performance was inconsistent. He set up a shot for Eze during the second half but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. Several rushed, misplaced passes. An unnecessary confrontation against an opponent early on. England were ragged after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents came after Bellingham squandered possession. The yellow card occurred when he was dispossessed from Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end the bench quality made the difference. The coach brought on the Manchester City player, who looked better suited to the spot occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. In time Saka whipped in a corner for Kane to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

However, Bellingham was the story. The excellence of the winger's delivery for the second goal was partly forgotten amid the drama of the substitution incident. At the end, all eyes were on Bellingham. Tuchel came over from behind and guided Bellingham to acknowledge the travelling England fans. Their connection is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to give up on the player just yet. But if Tuchel is inclined to offer him a starring role is not guaranteed.