Crunch week for Barry and Johnson

Of course, it is crunch week for everyone involved in the England set up, but the two big City stories to come out of the England camp (discounting Milner transfer speculation) are Adam Johnson's sustained charge for a place and Gareth Barry's late fitness call.

To cap off a quite remarkable 2010 for Johnson, the papers and the insiders are all unanimous in their praise for his shows in training this week. Many pick him out as the star performer and almost all reserve a special mention for his impressive displays. Blue Days has been looking at the reaction in more detail in an insightful piece. To add to the sources found there, including this from the Mirror: "Playing on the left wing, he terrorised Liverpool veteran Jamie Carragher and rained in a string of pinpoint crosses," today's Guardian and the BBC's England blog, amongst others, both single him out for his performances.

So, for Johnson, half the job is done. Speaking last month, Capello said: "Johnson has caught my eye. Now it's important he gets some international experience." Which indicates, not only that he will feature in Monday's friendly with Mexico, but that a lot will ride on how well he performs.

If Johnson can prove himself on the international stage, it will be a remarkable ascent from the player who only moved back to the Premier League on the first of February. A storming entrance eclipsed only by Walcott's suprise inclusion four years ago. Unlike Walcott in Germany, Johnson would have earned his place on merit and could well fill a spot that has been vacant for England for many years. Through years of bemoaning Gigg's defection back to Wales, Johnson could be the answer England has been waiting for. Whether this tournament has come a little too soon rests on this coming week but, after impressing in training, he is half way there.

Monday is also decision day for Gareth Barry. Who, in his ten year England career, has never made a World Cup, dipping in and out of the squad at the wrong moments for 2002 and 2006. He will be 33 when the next one comes around and whilst he is very much part of Capello's first eleven now, he would not be able to guarantee that next time round. He talks extensively about how much the World Cup would mean to him this summer in several interviews in the Saturday papers but it would also be a huge loss for England if he cannot make it.

Here's hoping for both of them.