I hope you didn't play 4-1-4-1, as it is just awful against 4-3-3 and 4-1-2-3, the 2 formations it's supposed to counter.
I speak from experience when i tell you, play 3N-1DMC- and the you choose as long as you have AML & AMR also on the field.

In this season of the cup, i got the feeling that the games have a fixed result, before the match starts.
I was playing the same formation in both the 1st leg and the 2nd leg, with oposing results.
Same players(mostly), same ratings for the players, except for who was man of the match.
1st i lost 1-3 at home, and 2nd i won 3-1 away, the teams where ~ equal with a bit extra for him.(me 37,5 - him 38,..)

I've been trying to tellpeople that 4-1-4-1 doesn't work anymore, but i get answers like "always works for me!"...
Here in the real world we judge by results, last season it worked(barely), this season it doesn't.

When the teams are ~ equal in value, last season, i've had some very hard games(0-0 1-0 2-2), against my 2 rivals to the league title.
This is somethis Nordeus just implemented(or broke) last season.
My team was still better, my formation had results against their formation, my players got better ratings.
But not in those 4 games, those 4 games where not user influenced.