Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is delighted with the improvement this season from Olivier Giroud.

The Frenchman has scored 18 goals in 30 games, with seven coming in Arsenal's recent run of nine consecutive wins.

"Olivier has a fantastic body strength," said Wenger.

"Sometimes he became really aggressive when he was challenged and you do not want him to be. I prefer the word commitment to aggressive; he is completely committed.

"Sometimes he needed to be challenged really physically to become really that animal he can be. But on the other hand, Olivier has improved tremendously technically.

"You take some pictures of Olivier when he arrived and today he is a different player. If he can combine both … let's not forget this guy weighs 92 kilos (14 stone). When he walks on your feet, he feels it. He gets knocks and sometimes that is why I rest him as well. He has the kind of game which is linked with his back to goal, so he gets hit a lot. Sometimes that game demands as well more commitment and toughness.

"What I admire in Olivier is his mental strength as well. When a guy plays at the age of 20 in Division Three in France and gets up again into the national team, there is some mental strength there.

"It is not easy. We have a few like that. Laurent Koscielny was similar.

"They have gone through the lower levels and had to look up there and to dream, "If I could get there", and they make it. Once they get there, they stay there."