Thomas Tuchel unimpressed as Jude Bellingham reaction takes shine off England win | OneFootball

It was the return that came with a rebuke. Jude Bellingham and Thomas Tuchel are reunited but, for the second time in a few months, the England manager found fault with the resident superstar’s behaviour. This time, at least, he did not deem him “repulsive”. But the hint was that he had been too selfish. The way his comeback ended prompted Tuchel to criticise him again.

If England, already qualified for the World Cup, had little to play for besides a perfect record they sustained with an imperfect performance, Bellingham had plenty to gain, or indeed lose. A first start for his country since June could not be pronounced an unqualified success: not when Tuchel deemed his reaction to being removed egotistical.

The England manager had warned of the dangers of red cards that would incur a suspension for the World Cup. Bellingham was hauled off soon after he was booked for fouling Armando Broja. He was nonplussed. And Tuchel, in turn, was unimpressed.

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Bellingham was replaced by Morgan Rogers (The FA via Getty Images)

“I saw that he was not happy,” he said. “I don't want to make it bigger at the moment than it is. I think to a certain degree, if you have players like Jude, who are so competitive, they will never like it. But he has to accept it. His friend is waiting on the sideline. We are about standards and level, and commitment to and respect to each other, so someone is waiting outside, and we will not change our decision just because someone is waving their arms.”

It was proof, if nothing else that things can revolve around Bellingham. There is a theory that England need Bellingham starting to win the World Cup. They required Harry Kane’s finishing to win in Albania, the captain’s nine-minute double taking him past Pele and up to 78 goals in international football. And yet Bellingham commanded the attention, for better and worse.

It was a sign of his status that Kristjan Asllani swapped shirts with him at the interval; presumably, the Albania midfielder would not have made the same request if he had instead been pitted against Morgan Rogers. “I’m a bit old school, I thought never at half-time,” added Tuchel.

If it reflected Bellingham’s fame, his booking may have been an indication of a determination to impress. His most notable contribution in the first half-hour was a terrific challenge on Arber Hoxha just outside his box. He showed an assiduous commitment to tracking back.

It was not initially accompanied by a conviction in the possession, and it was only after he grew into the game that he fashioned two of the best chances England created in open play: Jarrod Bowen and Eberechi Eze were both denied by Thomas Strakosha and the ball he fizzed into the Arsenal player, in particular, was one few could play.

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Bellingham had impressive moments on the ball but was booked late on (REUTERS)

And yet Bellingham’s was a mixed display: there was insufficient evidence to say that England become world-beaters simply by slotting him back into the side. There were times, too, when he and Kane both dropped deep which, as Tuchel did had not started his quickest wingers, meant England lacked anyone running in behind Albania’s defence. This was too reminiscent of Euro 2024.

And Kane’s double came courtesy of two substitutes, not the man restored to the No 10 role. Bukayo Saka set up a goal 12 minutes after his introduction, Marcus Rashford seven after he came on. Pele is now behind him. “This is cherry on everything, that he overcomes Pele today,” said Tuchel.

The England captain had talked of the importance of compiling an NFL-style playbook of set-pieces to take to the United States and he scored courtesy of Saka’s corner, even if it was unwittingly flicked on by Naser Aliji before Kane supplied the close-range finish; the plan may require finessing.

Then Kane passed Pele by heading in Rashford’s wonderful cross. If Eze, as a substitute, had upstaged Rashford, the starter on the left, against Serbia on Thursday, this may have been a role reversal. “It was nice to see the impact again from the bench,” said Tuchel.

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Kane scored twice to help England to victory that confirmed a 100 per cent qualifying record (Action Images via Reuters)

England finished stronger than they started. The raiding Declan Rice was the early threat, twice coming close. The buccaneering Nico O’Reilly provided some forward thrust with his bursts from left-back. Otherwise, however, it was a muted beginning. Nor was it smooth progress thereafter.

“I liked our attitude, I liked the work rate, again, to overcome difficult moments together is so important, that not everything goes non-stop smoothly,” Tuchel said. His side lost control in part of the second half, looking less secure after Rice went off. Tuchel responded by summoning Elliot Anderson after Wharton flirted with a red card.

“I learned about the players,” Tuchel added. This was his most experimental line-up to date. There was a belated debut for Jarell Quansah, a first start for Wharton, just a fourth cap for Dean Henderson. O’Reilly, one of only four to keep his place, won his second. Another was John Stones, who spent the first half in the hybrid role he can occupy for Manchester City, stepping into midfield.

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Tuchel named an experimental line-up (Bradley Collyer/PA Wire)

The back-up goalkeeper impressed, but he had to. England completed a clean sweep of clean sheets, but that necessitated some decent saves from Henderson, the best a flying effort to thwart Hoxha, and the speed off his line to make a well-timed challenge on Qazim Laci. Albania’s sharpness on the break indicated why they came second in the group, but they suffered their first defeat since March. For Tuchel, whose reign began with a 2-0 win against Albania, it was a repeat result. “And it’s of course never finished,” he said. So, too, the saga of him and Bellingham.