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Wenger to be ambitious with roles for Arsenal's no. 10s

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says he will look to fit all of his attacking players into the same team at some stages this season.

As the debate rages on about Mesut Ozil's best position for the Gunners, Wenger suggests he will look to keep the German international in the starting line-up while adding the likes of Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla and Tomas Rosicky around him.

Former Real Madrid ace Ozil has been criticized during his first 12 months with Arsenal but Wenger is set to persevere with his playmaking talents as the north London club look to get the better of Aston Villa this weekend.

"Of course," Wenger told Arsenal's official website when asked if he can accommodate all of his number 10s.

"The main man is the one with the ball. The others have to give him solutions to play. Every teams finds a way to go through its strong point. Subconsciously, a team will go through were its strong points are.

"[Ozil is] a confident boy. This guy has played for the German national team and won the World Cup playing wide and nobody found a word to say. He has been criticised during the World Cup and still played well and he was always in every single team. You have all this debate and you have to think is this debate right or wrong?

"(Zinedine) Zidane went to Real Madrid for £82 million and he played on the left. He's not quicker than you and me! There was never a debate and he had to play there, because in the middle they had Raul and Ronaldo and he made room and played on the left. When you have the ball you play where you want and go where you want."

Wenger added: "What is Wilshere but basically a No 10? He played his whole life at No 10. Somebody had to go out there. Is it Wilshere, Ozil or Ramsey… nobody is really natural out wide. So you keep good players out or you try to get them together.

"It is [ambitious], but without ambition you cannot progress. We have that desire to play well altogether and I think we can really achieve it. We can have a fantastic team."

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Andrew Slevison
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