🔗 Share this article

Should Bellingham aims to force his way once again into England’s top team, he would be wise to cut out the unnecessary reactions. His reaction after noticing that the substitute board was about to come up following a night of inconsistency in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I prefer not to blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the squad members who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for a tantrum. Kane had just put the Three Lions 2-0 up in a dead rubber match, with only six minutes remaining and Bellingham, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for bringing down 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 because it was possible the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the first match of the tournament by getting a second caution.

Shifting Focus on Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the player's annoyance when he clocked that he was going to make way for another player. He flung his arms in the air and while he exchanged a handshake after making his way to the bench it was obvious that the head coach was displeased.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He applauded Rashford for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to head in his second goal, but everything else was counterproductive. It is not as if arguing was going to alter the decision. The coach has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the value of acting professionally.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, left out of the team last month, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the fold recently. Practically 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 defeating a tough opposition from the Albanian team.

Tactics and Formation

This implies the jury is out on if England operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was not definitive. There was experimentation from Tuchel in the beginning. Under him, England have gained the team a clear system over the past few matches, employing a No 6, a central midfielder, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed against Albania. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, Wharton started for the first time at this level and the use of John Stones as a part-time midfielder created a passing resemblance to Manchester City’s 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for Eberechi Eze after the break but often looked too desperate to impress. There were a lot of poorly executed passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with a rival player early on. England were ragged for much of the second half. One Albania chance came after Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card occurred when he lost the ball from Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Finally the bench quality made the difference. The coach brought on the Manchester City player, who appeared better suited to the position that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and Saka. Later Saka delivered a corner for Harry 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.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of the winger's delivery for Kane's goal was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the Rogers substitution. After the final whistle, all eyes were on him. Tuchel came over to his side and pushed Bellingham in the direction of the English fans. Their relationship remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to discard Bellingham yet. However, whether he is willing to offer him centre stage is still uncertain.