In an ideal world — let’s call it a German one — Jordan Henderson and Jack Wilshere would be very familiar midfield partners. They would have played together for a few seasons in the England Under-21 side, hardening themselves against their worldwide contemporaries, gaining experience, confidence and perhaps even a little success.
This not being Germany, it has not quite worked out that way. This being England, it has been more difficult and complicated.
Thrown together last night as England’s new central midfield duo, they were not exactly strangers or untested rookies, but there was a sense of apprehension as the national team moved on from the inglorious end of the Gerrard-Lampard era.
For all the derision heaped on the “Golden Generation”, it has to be said that England looked a little naked without any of their stalwarts.
It was not just that an unproven Henderson-Wilshere axis was expected suddenly to prop up the England side but that they seemed, in the blink of an eye and a couple of retirements, to take on the mantle of senior pros. After all, who else is there?
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No offence, but this cannot be a vintage crop in midfield when Fabian Delph is instantly the next man in the queue, having never represented his country before a brief cameo last night, with the raw Jack Colback not far behind.
As a central midfield player with a modicum of poise and intelligence, James Ward-Prowse, even at 19, only has to stay fit and vaguely in form to be in contention for the national side.
There is not much Hodgson can do about this — save to recall Michael Carrick or Gareth Barry — so he will have been relieved that Wilshere and Henderson did, well, OK.
The Arsenal man was one of England’s better players, albeit in circumstances so muted and removed from top-level international competition that this was almost a different sport to that electrifying World Cup during the summer.
If this really was a new era for England, it is one that may be defined not just by the inexperience of the team but also the apathy of the supporters. As fans made the usual journey to the giant Wembley bowl, the streets and pubs were so quiet that you wondered if the game had been cancelled.
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England no longer expects but prepares itself for disappointment. England no longer rages but departs with a resigned shrug.
There was barely any noise at all. You could almost hear someone on the other side of the stadium ordering a hot dog or asking for the time.
For the first 45 minutes, Norway did England the generous favour of backing off, allowing Hodgson’s team to dominate the ball. Not even England can squander possession when the other team want them to have it.
Norway’s needless deference at least played into Wilshere’s hands, allowing him to experiment. He tried to tease the ball forward, with one-twos around the edge of the box.
A wonderfully flighted pass over the top almost set up Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain; a dash into the Norway area ended with him being felled by Havard Nordtveit; a trip that could have brought a penalty before that foul on Raheem Sterling allowed Wayne Rooney to score the only goal.
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It was a beguiling half. As soon as Norway exerted a little early pressure, England started to concede chances.
Hodgson had left the central pair to work around each other, Henderson generally a little deeper, although it will need far tougher tests than this to work out if they can operate as effective pistons or will become the new Gerrard-Lampard, spending so much time wondering if they are in the right position that they invariably end up in the wrong one.
There is also an argument that Hodgson should copy Liverpool’s formation of 4-3-1-2, with Sterling floating behind Rooney and Daniel Sturridge. The problem may be finding that third midfield player given that, with Colback leaving the squad because of injury, Hodgson has almost run out. There is talent in this squad, but it is spread so thin as to make the whole set-up look terribly fragile. When Gerrard and Lampard were around, it was a given that they were superb players, if only they could be put into a functioning England team. Now there is not even that certainty. Wilshere has obvious quality. but can it be consistently imposed? Can he stay fit? Can he be assured of a place in the Arsenal team for the biggest matches?
Henderson, who reverted to the base of a diamond flanked by James Milner and Delph for the last 20 minutes, was being asked to demonstrate that he can be the anchor of an international team, which is no small challenge for a man who has developed well at Liverpool but, a year ago, was the suffering captain when England Under-21 were trashed 3-1 by Norway in the European Championship.
This senior elevation is quite an opportunity, or a burden, for Henderson and Wilshere, but then, with England, there are no ideal worlds in which young players slip seamlessly into a thriving team.
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At 22 and 24, this pair carry the hopes of the England team into the Euro 2016 campaign that kicks off with the trip to Switzerland on Monday. Wish them well. It is not as though there are many alternatives.