All information is
complete to and including England's last match, the tenth of the 2004-05 season,
against United States on 28 May 2005.
Diary
Friday, 11 March 2005 -
Sven-Göran Eriksson's team will travel to the United States on
Tuesday 24 May for a week's trip which will see them play the host country at
Soldier Field Stadium in Chicago on Saturday 28 May. England will then play
Colombia at Giants Stadium in New Jersey on Tuesday 31 May and will fly home
after the match. Also planned for the trip are a number of coaching clinics with
local children's projects. Sven said: "We wanted to play these matches as close
to the end of the season as possible, rather than using the World Cup qualifying
dates in early June, to ensure that the players have the chance to rest properly
over the summer."
Thursday,
12 May 2005 - Sven-Göran Eriksson has named his
England squad for the US Tour matches. Peter Crouch
has earned his first ever call-up to an England squad after having enjoyed a
successful season at Southampton. The 24-year-old striker has previously
won six England Under-21 caps and has scored 12 goals in the Premiership this
term. There is also a return to an England squad for Tottenham Hotspur
midfielder Michael Carrick. The former West Ham United man last played in
the August 2001 friendly against Netherlands having made his debut against
Mexico three months earlier. Captain David Beckham, his Real Madrid
teammate Michael Owen and Bayern München's Owen Hargreaves will all miss the
first match against the United States but will join up with the squad for the second match
against Colombia.
David Beckham has been forced to pull out of club training
because of a thigh strain and may miss Real Madrid's match against Sevilla on
Saturday. The 30-year-old England captain, who has been in fine form for
Real in recent games, was not able to train on Wednesday and Thursday.
Coach Wanderley Luxemburgo will make a decision on whether the midfielder will
be fit on Friday.
Both
Frank Lampard and John Terry are unavailable as they are both having
surgery. Lampard on his toes, Terry on his foot. Rio Ferdinand is left
out, being allowed to rest following a gruelling domestic season.
Kieron Dyer suffered a hamstring strain in April, so he is omitted
from the squad also. Paul Robinson is recovering from a knee injury
that excluded him from his club's end-of-season run-in.
Sunday,
15 May 2005 -
Gary
Neville is on standby to captain England in the first match of their tour
to the US. Neville will take the armband against the United States on 28 May if Real
Madrid refuse to release England skipper David Beckham and vice-captain Michael
Owen. Eriksson
plans to ask Real to let the pair go now that Barcelona have clinched the
Spanish title. Meanwhile, Eriksson has placed Tottenham Hotspur's Michael
Dawson and West Bromwich Albion's Kieran Richardson on standby for the squad.
Eriksson added: "We have two players on standby - Michael Dawson, who had one
training session with us a couple of years ago - and Kieran Richardson, who has
had a very good season at West Brom (on loan from Manchester United). They
are both interesting players and I didn't want to put any senior players on
standby."
Tuesday, 17 May 2005 -
England have called up Kieran Richardson and Zat Knight
for their two-match tour of the United States. Manchester United midfielder
Richardson has enjoyed a productive spell on loan at West Bromwich Albion and
comes in for knee injury victim Shaun
Wright-Phillips. He was placed on standby by coach
Eriksson
along with Michael Dawson, but the Tottenham Hotspur defender's calf injury
means he misses out to Knight. The Fulham centre-half replaces Matthew
Upson who has a hernia. Knight, 25, has played four times for the England
under-21s and has been a regular starter for Fulham all season.
Richardson, who has three under-21 caps to his name, was instrumental in West
Brom's successful battle against relegation.
Saturday,
21 May 2005
- Gary
Neville has become the latest player to pull out of England's summer tour
to the United States - with Charlton Athletic's
Luke Young taking his place. The Manchester United defender was due to
captain his country if David Beckham and Michael Owen were not released by Real
Madrid for the first game. But the groin injury which kept Neville out of
Saturday's FA Cup final has forced his withdrawal.
Thursday, 26 May 2005 -
Stewart Downing has been ruled out of England's two matches in the United States
after suffering a jarred knee in training. Downing, 20, was hurt during
England's first training session in Chicago ahead of Saturday's international
with the host nation at Soldier Field Stadium. Doctors had assessed
whether he could play in that match or Tuesday's fixture against Colombia.
Saturday, 28 May 2005 - Peter Crouch
has been ruled out of England's friendly against the United States. The 24-year-old
striker suffered a foot injury during training when he was caught by defender
Sol Campbell, who will captain the side in Chicago. Crouch was set to make
his debut but Alan Smith seems likely to replace him. England coach
Eriksson had explained: "We
don't know how bad it is but we will see how things are on Saturday morning."
U.S.
1 England 2 - Kieran Richardson struck a dream double on his debut to
give England victory. Manchester United's 20-year-old winger, who ended
the season on loan at West Brom, made a spectacular entry with a stunning
free-kick after four minutes. He swept home a low finish two minutes
before half-time before going off after the break with a hamstring injury.
The United States troubled England's defence, with Landon Donovan hitting an upright in
the first-half before Clint Dempsey headed home after 78 minutes.
England's unfamiliar line-up - with Alan Smith drafted in as a late replacement
for Peter Crouch - got off to a dream start courtesy of Richardson. The
youngster showed great confidence to step forward and curl a free-kick beyond
Kasey Keller into the top corner from 20 yards after Eddie Pope fouled Andrew
Johnson. England had lived dangerously in the opening period, but struck a
crucial blow as Richardson added his second after 43 minutes. Johnson and
Cole combined on the edge of the area and Richardson arrived to shoot low past
Keller. England made an enforced change at half-time, giving a debut to
Fulham's Zat Knight, who replaced Sol Campbell after he suffered an ankle
injury. The second half was a low-key affair, but England's squad,
stretched to breaking point by injuries and absences, suffered two more blows
early on. Two-goal hero Richardson limped off with a hamstring injury, to
be replaced by Phil Neville. Arsenal defender Ashley Cole then suffered a
similar problem after 62 minutes, forcing Eriksson to reshuffle, moving Neville
to left-back and sending on Jermain Defoe. England then introduced a third
debutant, with Charlton's Luke Young sent on for the tireless Johnson.
Sunday, 29 May 2005 - Sol
Campbell and Kieran
Richardson are major doubts for Tuesday's friendly against Colombia in New
Jersey. Campbell will have a scan on Monday to assess an ankle problem
suffered early on in yesterday's 2-1 win. And Richardson, who limped off
with a hamstring problem, may well miss out. But Ashley Cole, who went off
in the second half with a hamstring injury, may be fit to play at Giants
Stadium.
Eriksson is likely to give
striker Peter Crouch a run-out - if he recovers from the ankle knock that
prevented him from making his debut against the United States. Eriksson's squad will
be lifted by the arrival of regular skipper David Beckham and Michael Owen, who
have been released by Real Madrid. But Owen Hargreaves will not fly out
after Eriksson allowed the midfielder to stay with Bayern München for a match to
mark the opening of their new stadium.
Monday, 30 May 2005 - Sol
Campbell
is out of Tuesday's friendly against Colombia in New Jersey. But striker Peter
Crouch and defender Ashley Cole are both set to play after taking part in
training on Monday. Campbell limped off at half-time in Saturday's 2-1 win
in Chicago and was replaced by Fulham's Zat Knight - who is in line to start
tomorrow. Two-goal hero Kieran
Richardson remains doubtful with a hamstring problem. Richardson will have
a scan to determine the extent of the damage. Eriksson's squad will be
lifted by the arrival of regular skipper David Beckham and Michael Owen, who
have been released by Real Madrid.