Conerning your once again insufferable knowledge of the sport of soccer.
The #10 position CAN be considered a "midfield" position or it might
be considered an "attacker" position. I prefer to see it as midfield
because in a 4-4-2 only the #9 and #11 players are true strikers.
Since most Italian teams play a 4-4-2 (or a modification of it like
a 4-3-1-2) I would classify most players in Italy who wear the #10
as midfielders, albeit attacking midfielders.
Possibly the #10 position can be referred to as a "mezzapunta" as they
say in Italy. That is, a "half-striker". However it still follows that
a mezzapunta is really a midfielder in as much as a #10 is a "link"
player and I think the real definition of midfielder is that they are
a link between defense and offense.
In a 4-3-3 though, a #10 can be defined an attacker or he may not be,
depending if the #7 position is a wing (now almost a dying position in
some places) or if the #7 is playing at wing halfback. It also depends
on where the team places the #8 player who is traditionally the
orchestrator of the offense. When Platini played for Juve and France
he was given a lot of freedom to play where he saw fit (okay, a little
less freedom in Italy!). As a result he usually played just behind
the forwards as a mezzapunta almost. But he still was a linking player
who scored goals thanks to his great skills and incredible free kick
style. Not because he was a forward. Capisci?
Giresse was more of a true midfielder for France, but the truly great
players like Pele, Maradona and Michel Platini played the #10 position
so they could lend their skills where it was needed. I still think of
them as midfielders, even though we (or maybe just you RSILV) all
remember their goals more than their passes.
Riff"Come back when you want another spanking"Ster