How to counter a 4-1-2-1-2 Narrow Diamond

[Peter Renn]

Ahahahahahah!!! I'm sorry, that wasn't the right formation...it was 3N-1-2N-2W-2

I play this formation as an attacking one, so Attack minded, mixed pass, whole pitch press, hard tackle, long passing, zonal, off side trap on.
Let's explain:
as you know, 4-4-2 ND is an attacking formation, centered minded because of his peculiar shape, his strenght is the middle the 2 MC's and the AMC, sometimes supported by DMC's with red arr's.

So i think fall down both flanks could be a "must", but...you need a formation that either could front his middle line and the same time could push on flanks. You don't need to cover your flanks, he has got no wings.

At last three defenders could front his attack (be sure they're top trained or near to), one DMC could front his AMC (put blue arr). Your middle line drive the center pitch by number (4 Vs 2+1), put red arr's on your two MC's and let the exteranls do their work. In this way you'll get a crack between att and def lines, don't worry long pass could help you.
To take advantage of the MC's attack along with strikers use mixed pass

Hope this could help you, surely something can be changed as arrows on externals or you could try the defensive mind to take advantage of the counterattack...but this arrangement served me.
Good Luck.

Well, sounds good. But he just needs red arrows dl dr n ur flanks not protected. Smart managers would see that in the game n set arrows on their dl dr n then the whole formation might not work cause no flank protection..
Everybody who uses wide defender can easy use them in an attacking way as well, so a narrow formation without flank protection vs any wide defense can be screwed up

[Bubba]

Well, sounds good. But he just needs red arrows dl dr n ur flanks not protected. Smart managers would see that in the game n set arrows on their dl dr n then the whole formation might not work cause no flank protection..
Everybody who uses wide defender can easy use them in an attacking way as well, so a narrow formation without flank protection vs any wide defense can be screwed up

You're right, i said that most of the results depend on opponent's settings, probably my deployment met a defending one...
During the game you can change and adjust them to your liking and this is just a brick to add on experience.