🔗 Share this article

For Bellingham to hopes to fight his way back into the English best team, he would be wise to cut out the unnecessary reactions. His reaction after noticing that his number was about to come up after a match of mixed performance in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect towards the teammates who come in," commented the coach. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it as a player."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for an outburst. Kane had recently scored to make the national team two goals ahead in an inconsequential fixture, there were six minutes left and the player, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for bringing down the Albanian striker. It was not a debatable decision. In fact it would have been foolish for the manager to not substitute him considering it was possible the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the first match of the World Cup by picking up a another booking.

Turning the Spotlight on Himself

Yet Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s frustration as he realized that he would be substituted for another player. His arms went up in exasperation and while he shook Tuchel’s hand while heading to the touchline it was obvious that the manager did not appreciate it.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded his teammate for sending in the ball for Kane to head in his second goal, but the rest was self-defeating. There was no chance complaining was going to alter the decision. Tuchel has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the value of acting professionally.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, omitted from the team last month, is being watched carefully after returning to the fold in the current camp. Practically he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours through his behavior to his substitution as the national team completed a flawless qualification run by seeing off a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

It means it's unclear on how England operate most effectively with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things by the coach in the beginning. He has given the team organization and direction lately, building with a holding player, a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel in this match. Jarell Quansah was given his first cap, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup for England and the positioning of the defender as a makeshift midfielder meant there was passing resemblance to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for Eze after the break but at times seemed trying too hard. He made many hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player in the early stages. England's play was messy for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. His booking came after he was dispossessed by Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

In the end the bench quality was decisive. The coach brought on the Manchester City player, who appeared more naturally fitted to the position in which Bellingham operated during the first half, and Saka. Eventually Saka provided a set-piece for Kane to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital next summer.

Connection Remains

Nevertheless, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of Rashford’s assist for Kane's goal was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, all eyes were on the midfielder. The coach approached from behind and guided the player to acknowledge the English fans. Their connection is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to discard him at this stage. Yet whether he is willing to give him centre stage remains in doubt.