🔗 Share this article

If Jude Bellingham hopes to earn his place once again into England’s best squad, it would be smart to cut out the nonsense. The way he reacted after noticing that he was about to come up after a match of mixed performance in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not make more out of it but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the squad members who come in," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply being a professional."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for a strop. The captain had only moments earlier made it the national team 2-0 up in an inconsequential qualifier, the game had six minutes to go and he, after a below-par performance, had just been booked for fouling Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a controversial substitution. In fact it might have been reckless for the head coach to leave Bellingham on considering there was a risk he would be suspended of the opening game of the competition by getting a another booking.

Turning the Spotlight to Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. There was no disguising the young midfielder's frustration as he realized that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and while he exchanged a handshake after making his way to the bench it was obvious that Tuchel was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He praised Rashford for providing the assist for Harry Kane to head in the team's second, but the rest was harmful to his cause. There was no chance protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The German has repeatedly emphasized honoring the team structure and the necessity of acting professionally.

Facing Examination

The midfielder, left out of the previous squad, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the squad recently. Practically he has been on trial and he has not done himself any favours with his response to his substitution as the national team rounded off a flawless qualification run by defeating a feisty challenge from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

It means opinions are divided on how the squad function at their best when Bellingham plays. What we saw was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel in the beginning. He has given the squad structure and clarity in recent months, using a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed versus Albania. The young defender was given his first cap, the midfielder made his first start internationally and the role of John Stones as a part-time midfielder created a similar look to Manchester City’s historic treble-winning side.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for Eze in the latter period but often looked overly eager to shine. Several hurried and errant passes. A pointless clash with an Albania midfielder early on. England were ragged after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents resulted from Bellingham squandered possession. The yellow card was shown after he was dispossessed from Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

In the end the bench quality was decisive. Tuchel introduced Foden, who appeared better suited to the role that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka provided a corner kick for Harry Kane to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for Kane's goal was a little lost amid the drama of the player change. After the final whistle, the focus was on Bellingham. The coach approached behind him and directed the Real Madrid midfielder towards the travelling England fans. Their relationship is not broken. The coach isn't ready to abandon him at this stage. However, whether he is willing to offer him a starring role is not guaranteed.