I'm still trying to figure out how the 4-1-2-1-2 narrow was a counter formation against a 4-4-2 in the first place. It leaves the ML and MR single marked and having red arrows on his ML and MR could be deadly... If going by the Zonal Marking logic then if anything, a 4-4-2 would counter a 4-1-2-1-2 narrow.
And I wouldn't rely on counter formations to be honest. I tend to win by more if I use my own style and formation rather than using a counter formation