I have no problems with defending now that I know the system better that Konami have changed. It wasn't that I didn't know how to defend, I actually didn't realize how good the defensive AI was, and was trying to override it with my own philosophy. Instead you combine your own philosophy with the new AI-based one, then you see what its all about.
As I mentioned, X is no longer a tackle button, it is used to force pressure, but I hardly use it! You can manually control the pressure simply with the left stick, you focus on the positioning, covering spaces, deciding when to double up and deciding when to hold or rush in, and the AI calculates when to stick its leg out depending on the defence stat, and incorporating other elements such as momentum, inertia, body balance, current speed, ball physics etc.
In the final 3rd when defending, especially on the edge of the box and on the wing near the box I use the R2+X delay function to positioning a defender's body more firmly, anticipating shots, crosses or through balls. Occasionally releasing R2 to make a last ditch tackle but only when you absolutely have to, as the AI can calculate when to block according to the stats I mentioned above.
I still believe the dribble accuracy+speed plus player solidity/weight/floatiness issue can be toned down/balanced and more individuality being shown for players down the levels should be worked on, it is a downside, but not a gamebreaker.
And thats just for defending, with the attacking AI, players making intelligent movements into space an behaving like real players, the game is simply awesome. I can't even remember when I last used a one two, in fact its not often at all, because my players are moving into space themselves, it's almost as if the AI anticipates your attacks and “reads” how you have set up the team or how you are playing; as people have said, you can “trust” your teamates.
The game is just amazing, and this is from an earlier code, without the list of improvements that I'm sure they've already placed into the final code.