THE FREAR FACTOR
Diminutive winger is the odd man out in a team of giants but is playing a big part in kick-starting Motherwell’s campaign
EVEN at the ripe old age of 27, Elliott Frear admits that the sheer physicality of his Motherwell team-mates can leave him feeling like one of the kids in the changing room.
Standing at 5ft 8in, the winger is one of the Steelmen’s less imposing figures, but it doesn’t make him any less difficult to play against for Premiership rivals.
‘When me and Gael Bigirimana are in the changing room together, it feels like I’m a little youth player,’ joked Frear. ‘We are big and strong as a team, that’s just how we are, but every team needs something a little bit different.
‘I feel me and Bigi offer that, which is vital for the team’s balance. We did really well in last Sunday’s game and we want to carry that on now.’
Frear is referring, of course, to the pulsating 3-3 draw with Rangers at Fir Park when Peter Hartley’s dramatic last-minute equaliser gained Motherwell their first league point of the season and effectively kick-started their campaign. This afternoon they travel to Tayside to meet the only side currently below them in the table, Neil McCann’s Dundee, who are anchored at the bottom with no points.
Today would be an apt time, then, to keep up the never-say-die attitude they showed against Steven Gerrard’s men.
‘We’ve only got one point out of three games, so we’ve got to address that quickly,’ said Frear. ‘We’re very confident of going to Dens Park and getting a result.
‘Going back to the Old Firm boys, when you pick up points against them it’s really a kind of a bonus.
‘So we need to go to these teams in and around us in the league table and beat them. That’s what we did well last year, we got into a good run and got up to fourth at one point.’
Motherwell led against Rangers twice last weekend before Ovie Ejaria ultimately gave the Ibrox men the lead before the end of the first half. Stephen Robinson’s side would be sitting in a similar place to Dundee if it hadn’t been for their captain’s late goal.
‘The boys were excellent, even in the first half we played well,’ said Frear. ‘It was disappointing conceding three goals, but we were delighted to come away with a point.
‘We back ourselves as a squad. We’re very fit as you could see from Sunday, we kept going literally to the last kick of the game and managed to get a point out of it.
‘We’re very confident in what we’re trying to do here. We know exactly what we’re doing, we just need to carry that on into the game at Dens Park.
‘When you are playing bigger clubs it’s easy get up for the games as there is always a big crowd, home or away. Obviously, Dens Park will be a bit different as Dundee don’t have as big a support.
‘But we’re up for every game and we just need to get that first win now in the league.’
McCann is under increasing pressure at Dens Park, his team having failed to pick up a single point in the league following a humiliating defeat by Ayr United in the Betfred Cup.
However, with new arrival Kenny Miller now leading the line for a Dark Blues team who have struggled to find the net of late, Motherwell boss Robinson is expecting a tough test.
‘We’d love to get three points but we’re well aware what a tough game it will be,’ said the Northern Irishman. ‘I saw Neil’s side last Saturday against St Johnstone and they’ve got some very good players.
‘It’s only three games into the season and they’re still finding their rhythm, just as we’re still finding ours. If you look at the league table, only Hearts have got three wins.
‘I expect a very tough game. Dundee are a team who will try to dominate possession and we have to be well prepared for that.’
Every team needs something that is a little bit different