Having seen the Cobblers struggle to win a game after he took over last season, Johnson was well backed in the transfer market over the summer in order to bring a squad capable of winning promotion to the club but that aim looks very far away on Saturday after a third straight league defeat and the manner of the reverse.
"The players must understand when it's a 'must win' game and this was one. But they didn't show enough passion to win it," was his verdict afterwards.
With the side on show at Sixfields bearing his hallmark it will be worrying to Northampton fans to hear Johnson wondering where to turn next and saying: "It's going to be a big job to turn it around, and it will take some turning around."
That process begins on Tuesday in the JP Trophy when Huddersfield are the visitors.