Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has declared that Olivier Giroud deserves credit for working hard to make a marked improvement since arriving in the Premier League, while insisting that his type of aerial threat is a rare commodity.

Giroud continued a fine start to the campaign with a brace in Saturday's 2-0 win over Southampton, taking his tally for the season to 10 goals in all competitions.

Wenger believes that Giroud is a throwback striker who provides a constant aerial threat in the final third, signalling the French forward out as one of the best as what he does.

He told the club's official website: "I like his play. He has improved his link play with the other players, he is dangerous in every single game. Is he the best in his type of play? I like what he does.

"There is plenty of this type of player, [but] you had more before. If you go back to the 1960s and '70s and look at the strikers who were good in the air and English, [they were at] every single club. And tell me now today have you got same number?

"I'm not even talking about quality, but have you got the same number who go in for crosses, go in the air? Today we educate more on the ground. Maybe we pay a bit of a price of having less people who are ready to go for this kind of [aerial] ball."

Wenger's faith in Giroud has helped the Gunners confound critics in a strong first quarter of the season, topping the Premier League by four points.