Mesut Ozil Arsenal 2018-19Getty Images

Ozil's message for Emery after playing him on the right for Arsenal: No.10 is my best position

Mesut Ozil has insisted that the No.10 role remains his best position for Arsenal with Unai Emery having experimented by using him in other areas of the pitch.

The German playmaker played a starring role behind Alexandre Lacazette in the Gunners' 3-1 win over Leicester City, although he has popped up in different positions across the attack at the start of the 2018-19 season.

That has included him being stationed on the right and left-hand side, as Emery attempts to fit Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Aaron Ramsey into the same team.

Article continues below

Ozil, though, maintains that the No.10 position is his best but promises to give his all wherever the Arsenal boss decides to play him.

He told Sky Sports: "For me it is not my best position, I think my best position is as a No. 10 but at the end of the day I have to accept and respect what the coach decides.

"So I have to give everything I can on the right side, it's new for me but it's fun for me as well, especially with the goals and I will continue to give my best on that side."

The 30-year-old midfielder also praised Emery's desire to succeed at the Emirates Stadium and has challenged himself to create more goals for the Gunners.

"He's younger and has brought in some Spanish specialists and wants to make everything perfect," the German said. "The team understand him and he has shown us his character and how he wants to play.

"Of course, we need time to understand everything completely but it is going well - he is a very good coach and as a player you can speak to him and he listens which makes everything easier for us.

"We are fourth in the table so we know we can achieve more and I need to show on the pitch my potential to help the team but I think so far it is going well, especially with the goals. I have to perhaps produce some more assists but it is going well.

"As a player, I want to win titles and I hope we can reach that with the team because we have the potential. We are on a good way but we know the Premier League and other competitions in front of us are hard but we will give everything to reach our goals."

Ozil also discussed a previous meeting with former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, with the World Cup winner having not had the chance to play under the Frenchman having left the Liga giants prior to his appointment as first-team coach in 2016.

He said: "I was really nervous, my hands were sweating but he was really calm and cool and I really enjoyed meeting him.

"I liked his style of football, always playing with vision and calm on the pitch and to see another player in a better position - he was not selfish. I was happy to meet him while at Madrid - he was always my idol and I still watch clips of him sometimes before games and how he used to play."

Advertisement