🔗 Share this article

Should Bellingham aims to earn his place into the English strongest starting eleven, he would be wise to eliminate the dramatics. His response after noticing that his number was going up after a match of mixed performance in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not make more out of it but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the players who come in," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it as a player."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a strop. Harry Kane had recently scored to make England 2-0 up in a meaningless qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and he, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for a foul on an opponent. This could scarcely be called a questionable change. Actually it would have been foolish for the manager to not substitute him because there was a chance the midfielder would be suspended of the opening game of the World Cup by receiving a another booking.

Drawing Attention to Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's frustration upon understanding that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and while he accepted the coach's hand while heading to the bench it was clear that Tuchel was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He applauded his teammate for sending in the ball for the captain to nod home his second of the night, but everything else was counterproductive. It's not like protesting was going to alter the decision. Tuchel has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the importance of showing proper conduct.

In the Spotlight

The midfielder, left out of the previous squad, has been under scrutiny since coming back to the team this month. In effect he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to his substitution as the side rounded off a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a tough opposition from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

As a result opinions are divided on whether the squad operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. The performance was open to interpretation. Tuchel tried new things by the coach early on. He has given England structure and clarity in recent months, using a holding player, a central midfielder, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed against Albania. Jarell Quansah was given his first cap, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup internationally and the role of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder created a similar look to City's 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for his teammate during the second half but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. He made many hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with a rival player at the beginning. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. One Albania chance followed he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card occurred when he lost the ball from Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Substitutes Decide

In the end England’s depth made the difference. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who seemed more comfortable to the spot in which Bellingham operated during the first half, and Saka. Later Saka provided a corner kick for the captain to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that set pieces will be crucial next summer.

Connection Remains

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, all eyes were on him. The coach approached from behind and directed the Real Madrid midfielder towards the travelling England fans. Their connection remains intact. The coach isn't ready to abandon Bellingham yet. But if the coach is prepared to offer him a starring role is not guaranteed.