🔗 Share this article

If Jude Bellingham aims to earn his place into the English best squad, it would be smart to do away with the unnecessary reactions. His response after noticing that his number was going up after an evening of mixed performance in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the teammates who substitute on," commented the coach. "Choices are taken and you must accept them being a professional."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no need for an outburst. Kane had recently scored to make the national team two goals ahead in a meaningless qualifier, the game had six minutes to go and Bellingham, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for bringing down the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a questionable change. Indeed it would have been unwise for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering it was possible he would rule himself out of the opening game of the tournament by receiving a second yellow card.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

However, the player drew all eyes toward himself. There was no disguising the 22-year-old’s frustration as he realized that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and although he exchanged a handshake on his way to the sideline it was obvious that the head coach was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded his teammate for sending in the ball for the captain to nod home his second of the night, but the rest was self-defeating. There was no chance protesting was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the importance of behaving correctly.

Facing Examination

The midfielder, left out of the previous squad, has faced close inspection after returning to the team in the current camp. Essentially his place has been in question and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to coming off the pitch as the national team wrapped up a flawless qualification run by defeating a tough opposition from Albania.

The System and the Setup

It means opinions are divided on how the team perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was open to interpretation. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel early on. He has given the squad organization and direction over the past few matches, building with a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, a No 10 and dedicated wide players, but the approach changed against Albania. Jarell Quansah was given his first cap, the midfielder made his first start for England and the role of the defender as a part-time midfielder created a passing resemblance to Manchester City’s historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for his teammate during the second half but frequently appeared trying too hard. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent at the beginning. The team looked disjointed after halftime. One Albania chance resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. His booking came after he was dispossessed by Broja and fouled the former Chelsea striker.

Substitutes Decide

In the end England’s depth proved crucial. Tuchel threw on Foden, who appeared more naturally fitted to the spot occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka whipped in a corner for Harry Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was partly forgotten amid the drama of the player change. When the match concluded, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel came over to his side and guided the player to acknowledge the away supporters. Their connection is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to abandon the player just yet. But if he is willing to give him the central position is not guaranteed.