🔗 Share this article

Should Bellingham hopes to earn his place back into the English strongest squad, he would be wise to cut out the unnecessary reactions. His response after noticing that the substitute board was going up after a match of uneven play in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to overstate it but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the squad members who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply as a player."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for a strop. Kane had just put the Three Lions leading by two in a meaningless qualifier, the game had six minutes to go and Bellingham, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for fouling the Albanian striker. This was hardly a debatable decision. In fact it would have been unwise for Tuchel to leave Bellingham on because there was a risk the midfielder would rule himself out of the initial fixture of the competition by getting a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention on Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the young midfielder's frustration when he clocked that he was going to make way for another player. He flung his arms in the air and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand after making his way to the sideline there was no doubt that the head coach was displeased.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded his teammate for delivering the cross for Kane to nod home the team's second, but the rest was harmful to his cause. There was no chance complaining was going to alter the decision. The German has repeatedly emphasized following squad protocols and the necessity of acting professionally.

Under Scrutiny

He, left out of the team last month, is being watched carefully since coming back to the fold in the current camp. Essentially he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to coming off the pitch as the national team rounded off a perfect qualifying campaign by overcoming a feisty challenge from the Albanian team.

Tactics and Formation

As a result opinions are divided on if the squad operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was inconclusive. Some new ideas were tested from the manager at the start. He has given England organization and direction lately, using a No 6, a box-to-box player, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but it felt different in this match. Jarell Quansah was made his England debut, Adam Wharton started for the first time internationally and the role of John Stones as a part-time midfielder meant there was faint echo to Manchester City’s 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for his teammate after the break but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation against an opponent in the early stages. England were ragged for much of the second half. One Albania chance resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card occurred when an opponent took the ball from Broja and brought down the attacker.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally the squad's strength proved crucial. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who seemed more comfortable to the spot occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and Saka. Eventually Saka delivered a corner kick for Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks will play a key role at the World Cup.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of the winger's delivery for the second goal was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the Rogers substitution. When the match concluded, everyone was watching Bellingham. Tuchel came over behind him and pushed the player in the direction of the away supporters. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to abandon him at this stage. Yet whether he is willing to grant him the central position is still uncertain.