Like
@slamsoze said, it has been in the game forever and discussed just as long – from my personal experience going back all the way to the PS1 era games.
Always annoyed me, but for some reason, like
@rockstrongo, I am not having such an issue with it in 19. I have the feeling that, like a lot of other things in the game, it‘s dependent on stats, traits, form, and game situations (iow, it is ‚scripted‘).
For example, I‘ve noticed it is easier to go around or outrun the AI when you are behind in the score. It‘s the game‘s crude interpretation of momentum, like saying: ok, now that I scored, it‘s your time..
And it could be dependent on player traits. I can consistently go down the left flank with Luke Shaw, run past the AI and whip the cross in. I don‘t think he is a particularly fast player (not like, say, Rashford). Same with Odriozola on the other side. Think that they all have ‚pinpoint crossing‘ traits or ‚roaming flank‘ style or something like that and this, in combination with their speed and accel values makes them succeed more often (though not always).
Lastly, you need to get the timing right. What often works for me is to let go of all buttons and hold the left stick to a slow jog then find the moment when the AI player makes a move and then double-tap R1 to go by. It doesn't always work but often enough.