Maximilian Kilman didn’t let too many players get the better of him in 2021/22.
The Wolves defender was one of Wanderers’ standout players, having made 34 appearances across all competitions.
The star was absolutely superb in the first half of the season.
He was playing every minute of every game and flourishing as a right-sided centre-back, despite being left-footed.
His form tailed off a bit around February and March, which was perhaps to be expected as the games came thick and fast.
He then picked up an ankle injury in April, causing him to miss the club’s final six Premier League games.
But overall, it was a brilliant campaign from him, and he definitely got a lot of people talking.
Many forwards struggled when coming up against him.
Kilman has sat down to do an interview with The Athletic, and actually named his toughest opponent to date.
One might have assumed he’d pick someone like Harry Kane or Cristiano Ronaldo. Or perhaps a wide forward, like Heung-min Son, or Mo Salah.
But Kilman actually plumped for Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy.
He admitted: “Jamie Vardy was probably my toughest opponent. It’s not like I get into many battles with him but his movement, he makes you constantly aware and checking your shoulders and he doesn’t give you time on the ball.”
Kilman has faced Vardy three times in his playing career so far. Twice in 2020/21 (for 90 minutes at the King Power Stadium and 29 minutes at Molineux) and once in the season just gone (for 90 minutes at the King Power). He has never been on the winning side, with Vardy scoring two goals across those three appearances.
Vardy is a menace, and Kilman will have learned a lot facing him
Vardy is a player that has given many a central defender the runaround during his career.
He may now be in his mid-thirties, but the striker never lets up when he plays, and is there to hassle and annoy.
And then when it comes to being in front of goal, he is still clinical.
Kilman will no doubt have learned a lot from facing him a few times.
Hopefully it will have been a good lesson for dealing with those strikers with a scary turn of pace.