It actually depends on the players you have, if you have 2 very good wingers you should play with them. If you only have good DC's but no DL/DR, you should play with 3 defenders.
I do think that 4-4-1-1 is the best formation, but yet again only if you have good wingers, solid midfield and that 20/20 prof world class forward.
-> if you check ueta and all other international comps this is the formation almost all major teams use.