That could be a bug. Sometimes when the programmers update the coding for the game, it has an unintended effect on other aspects of the game, such as some formations that aren't supposed to be OP, become OP.
I did see a team on my friends list run a 2w-2w-2w-2w-2 in a league game in an attempt to tank and ended up winning the match, despite 22% possession (he finished in 5th). So maybe, their is a bug but your game and my TE friends match are two small of a sample size to say there is a bug.