In a way this Atletico side is a good match up for him. They don’t really play with a big physical CF, which is what he always struggles with. You could see the difference when Morata came on but again he isn’t really a bruiser either.
Also with us needing to have more impetus today in possession De Vrij was a good fit for that.
He’s staking a real claim to return to the starting 11. He’s 4 years younger than Acerbi and a better passer, but he lacks the Acerbi nastiness and strength unfortunately.
I'm only just watching the full match due to work commitments
That pass mid-first half, where he nearly assisted Thuram, was a sign of players buying into the coach. De Vrij seemed to "take stock" of where he was, and new how he should act, even if it wasn't his position.
I’d start him against Madrid. He’s been playing with continuity and doing well. We can bring on Acerbi later to help lock things down. De Vrij’s longballs could also help us a lot here.