Jude Bellingham Has to Cut Out the Nonsense to Secure a Central Place In Coach Tuchel.

If Jude Bellingham wants to earn his place into England’s strongest starting eleven, he would be wise to do away with the dramatics. The way he reacted when he saw that the substitute board was about to come up after an evening of inconsistency in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to make more out of it but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the players who enter the game," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. It was unnecessary for a tantrum. The captain had recently scored to make the national team two goals ahead in a dead rubber match, there were six minutes left and he, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for bringing down Armando Broja. It was not a questionable change. In fact it would have been unwise for the head coach to not substitute him considering there was a chance Bellingham would be suspended of the first match of the competition by getting a second yellow card.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

However, the player drew all eyes toward himself. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s disappointment when he clocked that he would be substituted for another player. He threw his arms up and although he shook Tuchel’s hand while heading to the touchline there was no doubt that the head coach was displeased.

Here lies the test facing Bellingham. He congratulated his teammate for providing the assist for Kane to head in his second goal, but his other actions was counterproductive. It's not like arguing was going to alter the decision. Tuchel has talked so much about following squad protocols and the necessity of showing proper conduct.

In the Spotlight

Bellingham, left out of the previous squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the fold in the current camp. Practically he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case with his response to his substitution as the national team completed a perfect qualifying campaign by overcoming a tough opposition from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

As a result opinions are divided on whether England function at their best including Bellingham. What we saw was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested by the coach early on. He has given the team organization and direction in recent months, building with a holding player, a No 8, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed versus Albania. Jarell Quansah was made his England debut, Wharton was in the starting lineup for England and the use of the defender as an auxiliary midfielder gave a similar look to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for Eze in the latter period but frequently appeared trying too hard. Several rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash with a rival player early on. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. One Albania chance resulted from Bellingham gave the ball away. His caution occurred when he lost the ball from Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Substitutes Decide

In the end the bench quality proved crucial. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who appeared more comfortable to the spot occupied by Bellingham during the first half, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka whipped in a corner kick for Harry Kane to open the scoring. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, Bellingham was the story. The quality of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, the focus was on Bellingham. Tuchel came over behind him and directed Bellingham in the direction of the away supporters. Their relationship remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on Bellingham yet. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to give him the central position remains in doubt.