Crushed by an assymetric formation!

[ponzu]

In my first league match I was up against a team with slightly lower Q and the following weird formation

DR------DC-DC------
--------------------------
----MC-MC-MC-ML
---------AMC----------
-----ST-------ST------

I did not know what to make of it, but thought 4-3N-2W-1 (do we have a name for it yet?) could handle it.

Fat chance! Lost 0:4 on his turf (5% possession bonus), at 50/50 possession, 84(him)/87(me) pass completion and 20/18 tackles. With one YC (no goal scored on FK) and no injuries. In other words, simply got outplayed. 3 goals out of 4 were by his left ST (the one backed up by the ML). My ass man gushed in the report: "The opponent's transition from defence to attack were genius."

Questions.

1. Why do off-center formations work and do they work all the time?

2. I am tempted to copy his success. What orders do you think went with this formation?

3. Should I have countered with a different formation or did I just get unlucky? I know many believe in countering an AMC with a DMC. I could have gone with a 4-5-1V, but it has been getting a bad name lately. Or should I counter asymmetry with asymmetry?

P.S. My squad was fully rested with good to superb morale, but I did not give any win bonus; it seems silly in the early rounds of the league play. Suppose my opponent gave his squad top bonus... I still don't see it explaining a 4:0 drubbing.