Lehmann: bit suspect on the second Costa Rica goal, but how he must yearn for the Arsenal back line just now. Ashley Cole: Patently not match fit as he demonstrated almost a moth ago in Paris. Freddie: Typical Freddie performance, without any dividends. Toure & Eboue: Nothing remarkable. Van Persie: Ineffective but for his goal making pass. And then, Czech Republic v USA and Tomas Rosciky.

The first World Cup match I ever saw in the flesh was Czechoslovakia v USA in Florence, Italia 90. It was different then. The tickets were being sold face value from a bar near the stadium, as if it was a bog standard Fiorentina match. None of this corporate nonsense or get your tickets a year in advance in an internet ballot. You just rolled up with your lire and picked up the ticket. One of the Czech side played for Fiorentina so there was no question as to who the locals wanted to win. There were a few Americans there, didn’t have the first clue about the game. They were in Florence as part of their trek round Europe thing and just assumed The US would wipe the floor with the opposition as the Yanks were best at everything right? How I enjoyed seeing reality hit home as the Czechs won 5-1!

Enough reminiscing. The Americans are now officially the fifth best international football side in the world. Yeah right! And Tomas Rosicky looks like he could be the buy of the summer already. Great piece of business by Arsene. The boy can cover ground, tackle, distribute, do the link up play and score goals for fun. I think he’ll fit in just fine at Ashburton Grove and become an automatic starter. If he’s underachieved at Dortmund, I suspect it’s a case of just being at the wrong club for his talents. Fair enough, you can’t judge a player on one game, but let’s be honest. In 2006, the USA are no mugs. Maybe not fifth best in the world, but a well organised team who can often get results against the more established nations. Not yesterday, with Rosicky and Nedved running the show.

That Arsenal’s new signing performed on a par with the Juventus star says all you need to know. He is top drawer and can certainly help in re-establishing the Gunners as a credible challenge to Chelski’s billions, maybe even making a bigger contribution to the Premiership next season than Michael Ballack. Naturally, he’ll take a while to settle, but I think we might only need to wait for two or three months before we wouldn’t know that Rosicky is in his first season at the club, as it appears that German football has given him the qualities necessary for survival in English football – specifically, excellent fitness, pace and courage.

I’ll just interject this online editorial to bring you a suggestion for a Rosicky chant emailed in by James Lowes, mainly because it’s easy to remember and because it’s a new tune – and God do we need some variety in the chants. So, to the tune of ‘Hey Mickey’ by Toni Basil, quite simply:

Rosicky you’re so fine, You’re so fine you blow my mind Rosicky, Rosicky

Moving swiftly back to the World Cup! Still to see before the first round of matches have been played are Thierry Henry and Philippe Senderos. Johann Djourou could also feature. Then there’s Fabregas and Reyes for Spain. Not forgetting Adebayor for Togo! I think I’ll fall off my chair if he actually puts one in the back of the net. Only Sol, Walcott and Gilberto look like they are going to see the tournament out without making regular appearances and it’s starting to look like Sol has indeed finished his Arsenal career with his goal in Paris.

One thing’s for sure though. Never has a World Cup held such interest for Arsenal fans. Which says so much about what Arsene Wenger has achieved in re-building the club since he arrived in 1996. Remember Arsenal’s involvement in USA 1994? I could be wrong, but I think it was limited to Eddie McGoldrick and the prospective signing Stefan Schwarz. How times have changed. Another update at the weekend.