NEW START ... Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain trains with England yesterday

IF I was Roy Hodgson I would not be able to resist the temptation to start Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain against Norway tonight.

All eyes will be on the new England boss to see what team he puts out for the friendly in Oslo.

Hodgson’s first game in charge of the Three Lions comes just 25 days after his appointment, a mere 10 days after he announced his squad for Euro 2012 and only three days before he has to submit his final 23-man squad for this summer’s showpiece in Poland and Ukraine.

Forget Vauxhall, England’s sponsors in our quest for Euro glory should be lastminute.com!

And with Chelsea’s Champions League-winning contingent unavailable for selection and major fitness concerns over the likes of Glen Johnson and Danny Welbeck, it is safe to say it is probably not the dream debut Hodgson envisaged.

But what is it they say about ‘Every cloud...’?

And, in this instance, I believe Oxlade-Chamberlain could turn out to be Hodgson’s silver lining.

In Norway — and Poland and Ukraine.

I agree with those who say Hodgson was right to include the Arsenal starlet in his original 23-man squad.

There is no doubt the teenager has exceeded expectations since Gunners boss Arsene Wenger snapped him up from Southampton for what now looks a bargain £15million last August.

He scored for Arsenal on his Carling Cup debut and then repeated the feat against Olympiakos on his Champions League bow.

And he managed to grab a couple more Premier League goals and become a hit with Arsenal fans in a season when he was supposed to be finding his feet.

Along the way he also helped Stuart Pearce’s Under-21s go a long way to securing qualification for the play-offs for next summer’s Euro 2013 tournament in Israel.

Oxlade-Chamberlain pricked ears and raised eyebrows by grabbing a hat-trick as Pearce’s Young Lions beat Iceland 3-0 in Reykjavik.

That increased the clamour for the youngster to be given his chance at senior level and it was no real shock when Hodgson included him as his wildcard for the Euros.

And with players out and the clock ticking, I would give him his first cap from the off in Norway.

Hodgson needs to have a look at him at this level and, with Euro 2012 fast approaching, there is no time to blood him in.

We know he has the talent. All we need to see now is whether he has the temperament — which should never be underestimated.

I have seen plenty of players perform well for their clubs and the Under-21s before crumbling on the highest stage.

Some debutants take a peek around the dressing-room door in an effort to see what is in store, while others bowl on to the international stage with their chests puffed out, insisting: “This is me and I am here.”

It seems to me The Ox is fazed by nothing. The last six England managers have all won their first games, including myself.

This will not determine Hodgson’s career but he will be desperate to get off to a good start.

He has not had much time to work the squad so I would start with a solid 4-3-3.

I know Robert Green has got the nod in goal but I would have stuck with Joe Hart just to be sure.

In defence, from right to left, I would go with Phil Jones, Phil Jagielka, Joleon Lescott and Leighton Baines.

Jagielka may only be on standby but, with John Terry, Gary Cahill and Ashley Cole missing, it gives three players who know each other from Everton the chance to play alongside each other.

Hodgson says he will play Scott Parker and Steven Gerrard in midfield.

In light of Parker’s injury problems this week, I would play Gerrard, Gareth Barry and James Milner in a midfield three — although Hodgson may want to see whether Parker’s injury holds out.

And in front of them I would name Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ashley Young either side of Andy Carroll, who Hodgson says is going to play.

Tonight’s game might only be a friendly but it will be hugely significant in terms of Hodgson’s career — he will never forget it.

And it could well prove instrumental to England’s bid for Euro 2012 glory.

The players most on Hodgson’s mind might be those who are not out there tonight — such as Wayne Rooney, Terry, Cahill, Cole and Frank Lampard.

But it could open the door for others looking to gatecrash his starting line-up for the Euro opener against France in Donetsk on June 11.

And The Ox could be at the front of that queue if he is given a chance tonight.