🔗 Share this article

Should Bellingham hopes to earn his place into England’s strongest starting eleven, he would be wise to do away with the dramatics. The way he reacted upon realizing that he was about to come up following a night of uneven play in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect for the squad members who enter the game," commented the coach. "Choices are taken and you need to comply as a player."

The midfielder must understand. There was no need for a strop. Kane had just put the national team 2-0 up in a dead rubber match, there were six minutes left and he, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for a foul on the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a controversial substitution. Indeed it would have been unwise for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch because it was possible he would rule himself out of the first match of the World Cup by getting a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s frustration as he realized that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand after making his way to the touchline it was clear that Tuchel was not impressed.

Here lies the test for Bellingham. He congratulated Marcus Rashford for delivering the cross for Kane to nod home his second goal, but his other actions was self-defeating. It is not as if complaining was going to alter the decision. The German has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the necessity of acting professionally.

In the Spotlight

The midfielder, omitted from the team last month, has faced close inspection since coming back to the team this month. Practically he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to being taken off as the national team rounded off a flawless qualification run by defeating a spirited effort from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

As a result it's unclear on whether England operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel in the beginning. He has provided the squad organization and direction in recent months, employing a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, a playmaker and specialist wingers, but it felt different against Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, the midfielder made his first start for England and the role of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was similar look to City's 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for Eze in the latter period but often looked overly eager to shine. Several poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation against an opponent in the early stages. England's play was messy during most of the second period. One Albania chance resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card was shown after an opponent took the ball to Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

In the end the bench quality was decisive. The coach brought on Phil Foden, who seemed more naturally fitted to the spot that Bellingham had played in the opening period, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka delivered a corner for Kane to score the first goal. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

However, Bellingham was the story. The quality of the winger's delivery for the second goal was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the player change. After the final whistle, all eyes were on him. The coach approached behind him and guided the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the travelling England fans. Their connection is not broken. Tuchel hasn't decided to discard Bellingham yet. However, whether he is willing to grant him the central position is still uncertain.