Jude Bellingham Has to Cut Out the Nonsense to Earn a Central Place With Manager Thomas Tuchel.

If Jude Bellingham hopes to force his way into England’s strongest starting eleven, the smart move to do away with the dramatics. His response when he saw that he was going up following a night of uneven play in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and respect towards the teammates who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a strop. Kane had only moments earlier made it the Three Lions leading by two in a dead rubber match, the game had six minutes to go and the player, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for a foul on the Albanian striker. This was hardly a debatable decision. In fact it might have been reckless for the head coach to leave Bellingham on given that there was a chance the midfielder would rule himself out of the initial fixture of the competition by receiving a second yellow card.

Shifting Focus on Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. There was no disguising the 22-year-old’s annoyance when he clocked that he would be substituted for a teammate. He threw his arms up and even though he accepted the coach's hand while heading to the sideline it was clear that the manager was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He praised his teammate for providing the assist for the captain to nod home his second of the night, but the rest was counterproductive. It's not like complaining was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has stressed repeatedly respecting team hierarchies and the necessity of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, left out of the team last month, has faced close inspection after returning to the squad this month. Practically his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case by reacting to coming off the pitch as England rounded off a flawless qualification run by overcoming a tough opposition from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

It means opinions are divided on how England perform optimally when Bellingham plays. The performance was open to interpretation. There was experimentation by the coach at the start. He has provided the squad organization and direction lately, using a No 6, a central midfielder, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but it felt different in this match. The young defender was handed his international debut, Wharton made his first start internationally and the role of John Stones as a part-time midfielder meant there was faint echo to City's 2023 treble winners.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He made a chance for Eze in the latter period but at times seemed overly eager to shine. He made many poorly executed passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent early on. England were ragged after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents came after Bellingham gave the ball away. His caution occurred when he lost the ball by Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Substitutes Decide

Finally England’s depth proved crucial. The coach brought on Foden, who seemed more naturally fitted to the role occupied by Bellingham during the first half, and the Arsenal winger. In time Saka delivered a set-piece for Harry Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations are going to be vital next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for Kane's goal was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the Rogers substitution. When the match concluded, all eyes were on Bellingham. Tuchel walked up behind him and guided Bellingham towards the travelling England fans. The bond between them remains intact. The coach isn't ready to abandon him at this stage. But if Tuchel is inclined to grant him centre stage is not guaranteed.