By containing i mean being in a defensive position and using the RT button. Notice i didnt said "just do jockey" because that is not a 100% solution. Trick is to do Jockey , how to position yourself doing jockey ( always defend the goal and pay atention to the attacker foot ) and then when to let go of jockey if the attacker starts running on another direction or passes the ball. If your player can "take the ball", he will do it automaticly , no need for pressing (X).
Seeing how real defenders do in TV helps, and try to do that in the game. Its something computer games players are not really used to ( jockeying in 2013 as very very easy and very speedy, now its harder and slower ).
Pressing (X) button is just a close onto the attacker player. I never trust it to take the ball.
One usefull thing to do is (X) + RB , to push the player using the body. ( also try using Right Stick, but that can end up in a foul ).
If a player is slow dribbling always have in mind that he can change directions at any time and you have to be prepared for that.
About me being the attacker, yes, if i want to beat a CPU Defender, first thing i do is to stop running

Prepare the ball to the correct foot and then either just run in another direction / Prepare the ball with RT and choose run directions according to the position of the cpu defender ( the running after RT dribble is very powerfull ) / just do a good feint that i am used to do and know how to do properly.
Most of my games end up in 1-0 or 2-1, playing at TOP Player and 20 minutes matchs at speed -2 ( up until patch 1.12 i played speed -1 ). I dont let many goals in but i also dont score alot ( i play on full manual in everything, sometimes its tricky to do a good shot and perfect pass ).