AJ's South African prospects

After making the provisional 30-man squad for England's friendly against Egypt, Adam Johnson has set his sights more firmly on a trip to South Africa. Today the City website runs a feature on Johnson and he said this about his world cup hopes:

"I'm closer to that now I'm at City. The World Cup squad would be difficult, but there's a lot of football to be played and there could be injuries along the way. It was a bit disappointing not to be involved at Wembley but I've still come a long way in a short space of time. But this World Cup has probably come a bit too soon for me."

Johnson is clearly an ambitious player but he has to go a lot further in an even shorter amount of time to achieve a world cup slot this summer. There are a number of factors against him. Firstly, Capello is likely to have a fairly concrete idea of who he will be taking, even at this stage, and it will take something extraordinary for him to reconsider his set. Take Walcott, for example: a player who has played a small amount of games this season and has struggled to regain any kind of form (barring last weekend), yet still he finds himself ahead of regularly high-performing contenders.

Secondly, there are a lot of wide options for Capello to think about. What plays into Johnson's hands is that they are mostly right-footed options, although Capello, like Mancini, doesn't seem to have any problems with a right-footed left-winger. Walcott, Beckham, SWP and Downing were the chosen wingers for the Egypt squad, but add to that Joe Cole, Ashley Young and even David Bentley, and there is fierce competition for four places. Evidently Johnson is one of only two natuarlly left-footed players amongst them - pitting him against old team-mate Downing again, but with Joe Cole usually employed there, and even Steven Gerrard, it will probably need the injuries Johnson suggests for him to push for a place.

It bodes well for him that he was one of seven players on the fringes of the final selection, however - and with Beckham's place in doubt after some underwhelming appearances for Milan, Johnson is entitled to think that he can fight for a place. Which can only be good for City in the remaining games. A lot of players will be playing for how they will spend the summer and this could give even further edge to what already promises to be a dramatic close to the season. Johnson has an outside chance of making the squad, if Capello opts for balance, but it is a chance.