Oliver Giroud believes he has improved every aspect of his game since joining Arsenal last summer.
The France international had an encouraging first season in English football, scoring 17 times in all competitions and claiming 10 assists.
"Even at training, there is more pace too so you need to be more focused, more aware, more committed and all of that makes you improve so much"
The former Montpellier striker is satisfied with his performances, and says being surrounded by the likes of Santi Cazorla and Jack Wilshere has had a big impact.
“The biggest change really is the players around you,” Giroud told the Official Arsenal Magazine. “There are world-class players here. Even at training, there is more pace too so you need to be more focused, more aware, more committed and all of that makes you improve so much.
“I had to adapt mostly to the challenges in matches. Here, it is a key part of the game. You need to use your body and be clever on how to jump for a header for example. I have improved massively on that.
“It is interesting because after a few weeks, the fitness coaches knew me better and told me that I had to work on my strengths, try to be more dynamic and work on how I hold the ball.
“So I’ve been doing a lot of exercises to develop my shoulders and my arms to protect the ball well. I understood that I had to play more with my body here than in France. It has paid off.
“I also had to adapt to Arsenal. I had to discover my team-mates, understand how they like to play. It was a new type of football where I had to do everything better compared to before. Physically, I was ready but it is a big change compared to France, which is more tactical.”
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