Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone hailed match-winner Antoine Griezmann after Saturday evening's 3-1 La Liga win over Rayo Vallecano at the Estadio Vicente Calderon.
The home side made a quick start as Griezmann twice took advantage of issues in the Rayo defence to sprint clear and calmly finish to make it 2-0 inside 21 minutes.
The visitors' Roberto Trashorras hit a 25-yard curler to cut the deficit before halftime, but Rayo centre-forward Manucho directing Griezmann's corner into his own goal shortly after the break killed the game as a contest.
Simeone told his postgame news conference that the 30 million-euro summer signing had now settled into being a complete Atletico attacker.
"It is true that Griezmann has been improving so much since November," Simeone said. "This is the player we need. As well as his goals and assists, I value the capacity for work he brings for the team. He is showing he can play not just won the wing, but in any position across the attack, and can break the defensive line with his pace and his talent."
Simeone said his set-up for the game, which featured an extra central midfielder and then Arda Turan and Griezmann flanking centre-forward Mario Mandzukic, had been tailored with the particular threat posed by ball-playing Rayo.
"In the first half it was a bit difficult for us," he said. "Arda [Turan] and Griezmann were there to press and then get into the box quickly. I believe that for this game it was important to have legs in the centre of the pitch, to better control Rayo who have a lot of possession."
The Argentine denied his selection had been made while thinking ahead to Wednesday's Copa del Rey quarterfinal second leg at home to Barcelona. Instead, Simeone said he was more concerned with Sunday evening's clash between direct top four rivals Sevilla and Valencia in La Liga.
"The truth is I did not think about Barcelona, but tonight as an old coach of mine used to say 'I will discuss it with my pillow,'" he said. "This win is good for us, as tomorrow Sevilla and Valencia play. It was an important game, because of that direct duel at Mestalla. We will see what happens, and keep fighting too with Villarreal who are having a more than interesting season."
Fernando Torres' time on the pitch was limited to 20 minutes off the bench, as his former teammate continued to ease the new acquisition back into the team following his high-profile return this month.
"[Torres] has the same enthusiasm as when he arrived," Simeone said. "Against Real Madrid he played a great game, and against Barcelona he played well in the first half. Bit by bit he is finding his place with his teammates. With spaces in front he is a very difficult player to mark."