WHEN in Rome do what the Romans do. Well, that's 4-5-1 then.
Just as Roma pack the midfield so will Boro but while the onus is on the Italians to attack, almost certainly Steve McClaren will elect to sit deep and defend that precious 1-0 lead.
At the Riverside we saw that Roma could move the ball crisply every which way through their overmanned midfield but lacked a cutting edge. If they are to hurt Boro they will have to take risks and push further forward and in numbers.
That may suit Boro. Our five man midfield - either with five conventional midfield men or with Jimmy playing in that withdrawn role in a deep 4-4-1-1 formation - is likely to try to soak up the pressure, invite Roma to stretch themselves then look to catch them quickly and get the ball forward to the cutting edge of Yakubu.
It is a calculated gamble as in drawing Roma forward we run the risk that they will score. But likewise if Boro can launch just two or three really good penetrating raids in the game then we have the deadly strike force to make those chances count.
And if Boro score that precious away goal then Roma must score three, a task that, judging by their toothless Riverside performance and by our lads recent Trojan displays in defence, will be beyond them.
But it will be tense, and with both sides packing the midfield play will be congested in that middle third for long spells. The Italians - players and fans - will be used to that but we - players and fans - must be patient.
It will be tough but Boro have the upper hand and the longer it goes on as a turgid goalless log-jam the closer we are to a famous victory. It will be Roma that get jumpy and take risks. We must be ready to capitalise on them.
My own feeling is that Roma will score - but that so will Boro.
It may be naive and unscientific but I am retreating into historical precedent. Back in 1970 in the Anglo-Italian Cup second division Boro took a 1-0 lead from a tight game Ayresome Park into the second leg.
It finished Roma 1 Boro 1 (Downing 77). It's settle for that again.
* I'M OFF to Rome in the morning with Flight Options, jetting out from Teesside Airport in the first wave of the Red Army's invasion of the Eternal City.
But at the Gazette we never sleep and I'll be updating the blog from the tourist hot-spots over the next two days and then giving highly charged observations from the Stadio Olimpico during the match.
If you see me out and about in Rome come and say hello.
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