.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
Twelve months ago Lescott was struggling to get a game with the Blues, having been unable to split Vincent Kompany's central defensive partnership with Kolo Toure. Little did Lescott know he was to become the chief beneficiary of Toure's failed drugs test, providing an opportunity the former Everton man snatched with both hands. Now Toure is the man picking up scraps. Lescott was part of the City side that won the FA Cup final against Stoke in May and made his 15th Premier League appearance of the season in Tuesday night's 3-0 win against the same opposition. In addition, Lescott partnered Phil Jagielka during England's memorable triumph over world champions Spain at Wembley in November. However, with a Premier League title within reach and a place in Fabio Capello's Euro 2012 squad up for grabs, Lescott is not ready to rest on his laurels. "It's been a great year for me," he said. "This time last year I wasn't in the team, so as a calendar year it's been fantastic. But this season still has a way to go. "If I can play the same number of games next year I will be grateful. But I also want more medals. That is what you look at, at the end of your career. "Winning the FA Cup last year was superb, but we are still in four competitions this year so will be pushing for more silverware." Lescott is one of the City players who pre-dates Roberto Mancini's arrival, having being signed for £22million from Everton by Mark Hughes. That is only marginally less than the Blues spent on David Silva, but Lescott cannot be blamed for the price tag. His problem was convincing Mancini he was worth a place in the team to start with. "When he first came, I was injured," the Birmingham-born defender said. "He came here in mid-season after the regime of Mark Hughes and didn't change a lot. "But when we came back for pre-season the next summer he could put his own stamp on things, and that is what he did. He changed us as a whole." It seems ludicrous now, but Mancini was initially condemned for being too negative. "Last season we got a lot of uncalled-for negative publicity because the goals weren't flowing freely," Lescott added. "But this year we have the belief and the confidence to score more goals. "We did need to change and there is an air of confidence about us now. But it is controlled, you don't want it to be too arrogant. "The main thing is to keep progressing and keep our feet on the ground." City have bounced back well from their first defeat of the season at Chelsea, which followed the shattering blow of a Champions League exit far earlier than had been imagined. However, home form has not been a problem for 12 months, a period during which they have dropped only two points. Mancini does want performances away from the Etihad Stadium to be stabilised though, starting at West Brom on Boxing Day. "The Chelsea defeat was never going to damage our confidence," Lescott said. "It hurt us a bit, being our first loss, but it also woke us up a bit. "We had a similar kind of performance in the Community Shield against Manchester United, and that woke us up. Now, hopefully, the defeat at Chelsea will do the same."
