I have tried some of the suggestions like trying to run them off the ball but it doesn't work as much because if you run into them or near to them to even touch them, it's a fricking foul, they drop so easy in this game and I am not even pressing the x button. I have also tried to hold off to see what happens, but all they do is waste time and pass the ball around (this is on 5 stars, i still need more points to unlock 6).
Even then, if you try to tackle them with the x button when you are in front of them, 50% of the time that I have played, it's a foul because you either get the ball (success tackle) or the player falls down and gets a foul even though it's blantantly a fair/good tackle.
It would be good if they included picking a referee where the range is from easy going to very strict.