England's wins over Argentina and Georgia were marred by their shocking penalty count and they were fortunate on both occasions that their opponents' goalkicking was awful.
Working out how to put a stop to the various infringements has been the theme of the week as they prepare for their third game against Romania on Saturday.
Flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson said Johnson had tried to give the players a wake-up call by reminding them of how it felt after England lost to South Africa 12 years ago - the last time they failed to reach the final.
"Johnno talked about watching the semi-final on TV and then going out to play Newcastle away," Wilkinson told reporters. I know exactly what he was talking about because he was playing against me that day.
"In 1999 we got knocked out and the next week of the semi-final was possibly one of the coldest, rainiest days we had at Newcastle - and we were playing against Leicester.
"He's right, that's how it works. If you don't get these things right then there comes a time when you do the analysis and say 'we've got to be better next time' and next time is not next week it's four months along the line in the Six Nations.
"Sooner or later next week doesn't appear for a team in the World Cup."
Wilkinson said the penalty count led to enormous frustration on the field but insisted their was a real will within the squad to understand the problems and deal with them.
"You are just on the back foot, tackling, get up, penalty," he said. "It is like banging your head against the wall. That is not acceptable with the players and talent we have got.
"When a team potentially takes 27 points off you in a game because of penalties there's going to come a time when 'I thought this' isn't going to be the answer.
"Its part of the urgency that people understand that in World Cup rugby it's got to stop. But the guys are taking this massively on board and believe me guys are understanding now that once is a mistake, twice is a lot more than that and three times just can't happen."
Wilkinson is not alone in demanding an improvement in the penalty situation, at its worst at the breakdown and scrum.
Scrumhalf Ben Youngs said it was frustrating for the backs to see so many offences being committed by the forwards.
"We don't need to infringe when we're 50 metres from our line. There's no point. It's just silly," he said.
Back rower James Haskell was even more forthright. "You can't even begin to play your game if every time you do something there's a penalty," he said. "We are stuck in a bit of a mire. Look at the good sides. They have that control; whatever happens you feel they are going to win. With England at the moment it is, 'This could go either way'."
Everyone had their say in the post-match meeting, when Wilkinson said that people were able to point fingers as well as shoulder blame.
"There is an accountability there amongst the guys," he said.