Bellingham Must Drop the Nonsense to Secure a Central Position Under Manager Thomas Tuchel.

If Jude Bellingham aims to earn his place once again into England’s strongest squad, the smart move to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. His reaction after noticing that he was being shown after an evening of inconsistency in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to make more out of it but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and respect for the teammates who enter the game," stated Tuchel. "Decisions are made and you must accept them being a professional."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no need for a strop. Harry Kane had just put England two goals ahead in an inconsequential fixture, there were six minutes left and the player, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for a foul on the Albanian striker. It was not a debatable decision. Actually it might have been reckless for the head coach to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering there was a chance the midfielder would be suspended of the initial fixture of the competition by receiving a another booking.

Shifting Focus on Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the player's frustration as he realized that his replacement was ready for a teammate. He threw his arms up and while he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the sideline it was clear that the head coach did not appreciate it.

This is the challenge that Bellingham must overcome. He congratulated Rashford for providing the assist for the captain to score his second of the night, but the rest was counterproductive. It's not like arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The German has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the value of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

He, not included in the previous squad, is being watched carefully after returning to the team in the current camp. Practically he was being assessed and he hasn't helped his case with his response to being taken off as the national team rounded off a flawless qualification run by defeating a tough opposition from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

It means it's unclear on if the team operate most effectively with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was open to interpretation. There was experimentation from Tuchel early on. He has provided the team structure and clarity in recent months, employing a holding player, a central midfielder, a playmaker and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel in this match. The young defender was handed his international debut, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup internationally and the role of John Stones as a part-time midfielder meant there was passing resemblance to City's historic treble-winning side.

Inconsistent Display

His performance was inconsistent. He made a chance for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but at times seemed trying too hard. He made many poorly executed passes. A pointless clash with a rival player in the early stages. The team looked disjointed after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents followed Bellingham gave the ball away. His caution was shown after he lost the ball by Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

Finally the bench quality proved crucial. Tuchel introduced Foden, who seemed better suited to the spot that Bellingham had played during the first half, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka whipped in a corner for Kane to open the scoring. It highlighted that corners and free-kicks will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

However, Bellingham was the story. The excellence of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was partly forgotten amid the drama of the player change. After the final whistle, the focus was on Bellingham. Tuchel came over behind him and directed the player to acknowledge the travelling England fans. Their relationship is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to abandon Bellingham yet. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to offer him a starring role remains in doubt.