Player activation

Something I've noticed with the good SWOS players is that they always seem to be in control of the right player at the right time. It's something I struggle with, especially when crossing the ball. Let me show you an example in this picture.

I'm playing as Brazil and have just made a hard low kick, curling away to the far post. The arrow shows the path the ball will take. I would like to have control of player 2, who is in a good position to pick up the cross. However, SWOS gives me control of player 1, who is in a very bad position. What happens then, is that player 2, who is under the control of the computer, runs in an unhelpful direction, and so totally misses the ball, and by the time SWOS gives me control of him, he is in useless place.

Good players never seem to have this. What is the trick? Is it that a good player can recognise right away that this has happened, and make player 1 slide, so gets control of player 2 fast? Or just to notice that in this arrangement, as player 1 will be the one who gets control, don't make the cross at all.

you have answered your questions by yourself

sometimes experienced players knows what will happen and run, head or tackle instinctly, so the right players gets activated.

i always do some dirty tackles in the background to have other players activated.

and sometimes its just bad luck. then even good players cant defend a situation

It's all about timing and pulling the trigger on the correct spot.

Your last paragraph has two good answers!

Sometimes, for long balls, you can "get rid of a player" by pressing fire and have him slide or head in nowhere's land, so the next one gets activated earlier.