🔗 Share this article

If Jude Bellingham hopes to fight his way back into the English top team, the smart move to do away with the dramatics. His response after noticing that he was about to come up following a night of uneven play in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the players who come in," Tuchel said. "Choices are taken and you need to comply as a player."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a tantrum. Harry Kane had just put England leading by two in a meaningless fixture, there were six minutes left and the player, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for bringing down an opponent. It was not a debatable decision. Indeed it might have been reckless for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch given that it was possible he would make himself ineligible of the opening game of the tournament by getting a second yellow card.

Shifting Focus Upon Himself

However, the player drew all eyes toward himself. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s annoyance when he clocked that he was going to make way for another player. His arms went up in exasperation and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the sideline there was no doubt that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He praised Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball 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 change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has repeatedly emphasized honoring the team structure and the value of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, omitted from the previous squad, has been under scrutiny since coming back to the team this month. In effect he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours through his behavior to being taken off as the side completed a perfect qualifying campaign by overcoming a tough opposition from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

It means it's unclear on how England perform optimally including Bellingham. What we saw was inconclusive. There was experimentation from Tuchel in the beginning. Under him, England have gained the squad a clear system in recent months, employing a holding player, a central midfielder, a playmaker and specialist wingers, but the approach changed against Albania. The young defender was handed his international debut, Adam Wharton started for the first time internationally and the role of the defender as a part-time midfielder meant there was passing resemblance to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but frequently appeared trying too hard. Several rushed, misplaced passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. The team looked disjointed after halftime. An opportunity for Albania resulted from Bellingham squandered possession. His booking was shown after he lost the ball to Broja and fouled the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Finally the bench quality proved crucial. Tuchel threw on Foden, who appeared more naturally fitted to the position in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka provided a corner for Kane to open the scoring. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The excellence of Rashford's cross for Kane's goal was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the Rogers substitution. At the end, the focus was on him. The coach approached to his side and pushed the player towards the travelling England fans. Their relationship remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to abandon the player just yet. Yet whether he is willing to offer him a starring role is still uncertain.