Negatrev said:
The defending IS the same for you and the CPU. It's just the CPU understands how to time and angle the challenge where you don't YET. Just because t looks like the CPU is doing the equivalent of holding down X, doesn't mean they are. You need to time your challenge right and attack from just the right angle. Most of the time the CPU used to knock me off the ball was because, as they made their challenge I'd turn to go round them, so with me off-balance on the turn, they would do a fiar shoulder-barge and win the ball. I was just running headlong into them, front back or side, if you run at them, you'll foul them. As I say time and again (broken record here), you need to change the way you defend, watch the play more carefully. You will get the way it's working now.
Well said Negatrev. Defending not a big problem to me.
Playing with the wide cam its quite difficult to view the subtler animations when dribbling/defending. I'm saying this beacause a lot of us here are saying things like the CPU is unfair etc.etc. The animations for the 'steal' as in

and shoulder

+ dir are almost similiar when viewed from wide cam. What looks like the CPU stealing it's actually barging you off the ball.
Basically if your're coming form the side, use a shoulder charge or slide. If from the front, use

but if you leave your foot in, and the CPU continues running, it's a trip and foul. This is usally how most of us give awa freekicks. It IS realistic, as a lot of these are given away in real life too.
As long as you are aware of covering the passing lanes, the CPU will pass it about and make a mistake and your player orAI will intercept quite frequently. The key is to GUESS what the CPU is going to do, and with the new manualness of controls move at the right moment to intercept.
I said AI, because some players have that new special ability that allows them to win more 50/50 balls. Forgot what its called since my game isn't atched. But it was mentioned in one of the PSM2 preview. It's there and thses players sort of auto-defend in tight quarters. 'Emerson', 'Viera' etc.
If you must, on fast breakaways use the slide tackle. But the slide distance is shorter than WE8LE, so get close befor you commit. IMO, sometimes, you're not carded or penalised for sliding on the wings as opposed to the centre. If I have a top striker breaking, and he's been causing me problems this game, I'd get a burly DF of mine to send him flying. Hoping he'll pick up an injury too.
Cheers.