Most have sacrifice abilities for the token they make
So while Counterspell might be able to deal with any threat, most times you'd be better off drafting Dark Banishing or Incinerate so you could drop early creatures, and then use the removal to mop up afterwards instead of having to wait for your gracious opponent to walk into your untapped Islands
It is a bit of a higher cost, but green can very easily generate more mana than they have lands
Y'shtola, Night's BlessedY'shtola, Night's Blessed is its face commander, while G'raha Tia, Scion RebornG'raha Tia, Scion Reborn is the featured commander
Cogsworth, Climbing Clock
Nani Protective Sister can be a powerhouse, taking down many mid-game characters, while tanking hits on the next turn