Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen reckons Didier Drogba and Wayne Rooney are two of the best strikers he has come up against.

The Belgium defender who joined Arsenal in the summer has been a key figure in Arsene Wenger's quest for silverware this season and amongst a team of Gunners who like playing a stylish game of football, Vermaelen enjoys the physical duels against superstar strikers like Rooney and Drogba.

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In an interview with the Daily Mail, he said: "If you get a kick that's part of the game. You just get up and carry on. Football is a physical game. You can touch each other and sometimes you can kick each other. That's part of the job.

"I didn't have heroes when I was little but I looked at defenders to learn like Cannavaro and Paolo Maldini in Italy. Here in England, I look at Nemanja Vidic and John Terry. They have the right attitude. They're strong in the air. They can play physically."

Vermaelen also gave a quick review of the many forwards he has battled against in his short time at Arsenal.

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He added: "All the strikers in England are physical. I think Drogba is the most physical but there is more to him than that. He's one of the best in the world. He is so strong that you have to be careful. If you mark him too tight, he grabs you and he's gone.

"'Kevin Davies from Bolton is one of the best in the air. He's good with his head but he doesn't always jump. He just stands there using his body and holding you back. Everton's Tim Cahill is great in the air and he's not big.

"Nicolas Anelka and Wayne Rooney are runners but Drogba is just standing there and he gets long balls, gets it down and he plays. Then he gets in the box, but he's not a big runner, no."

When tasked with the impossible question of who is the best striker in the Barclays Premier League, the Belgium defender was caught in between.

"I couldn't choose between Rooney and Drogba," says Vermaelen. "They are the best I've played."