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Should Bellingham aims to force his way into England’s top squad, he would be wise to cut out the nonsense. His response when he saw that his number was being shown after an evening of inconsistency in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not make more out of it but I hold to my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the squad members who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Decisions are made and you need to comply as a player."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for a strop. The captain had recently scored to make England leading by two in a dead rubber fixture, the game had six minutes to go and Bellingham, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for bringing down Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a questionable change. Indeed it would have been foolish for the manager to leave Bellingham on because it was possible Bellingham would be suspended of the opening game of the competition by getting a another booking.

Drawing Attention to Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s annoyance when he clocked that he would be substituted for another player. He flung his arms in the air and even though he exchanged a handshake on his way to the touchline there was no doubt that Tuchel was not impressed.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He applauded Rashford for providing the assist for Harry Kane to nod home the team's second, but the rest was harmful to his cause. It is not as if complaining was going to alter the decision. The German has talked so much about following squad protocols and the importance of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, left out of the previous squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the squad this month. Essentially he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case by reacting to his substitution as the national team rounded off a flawless qualification run by defeating a tough opposition from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

It means opinions are divided on how the team function at their best when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was open to interpretation. There was experimentation from Tuchel early on. He has provided the team a clear system over the past few matches, using a holding player, a box-to-box player, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but it felt different versus Albania. The young defender was handed his international debut, Wharton started for the first time internationally and the positioning of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was faint echo to City's 2023 treble winners.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham had ups and downs. He set up a shot for Eberechi Eze after the break but at times seemed too desperate to impress. Several hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder in the early stages. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. An opportunity for Albania came after Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card was shown after he lost the ball by Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Substitutes Decide

In the end England’s depth proved crucial. Tuchel threw on Foden, who appeared more comfortable to the position that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and Saka. In time Saka delivered a set-piece for Kane to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that set pieces will be crucial at the World Cup.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, the focus was on Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was a little lost amid the drama of the Rogers substitution. After the final whistle, all eyes were on Bellingham. Tuchel came over behind him and guided Bellingham in the direction of the English fans. Their connection remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to abandon Bellingham yet. But if the coach is prepared to grant him the central position is not guaranteed.