Complete Football Manager 2023 2.23 patch notes - Improved movements, revamps to game engine, and more

The Football Manager 2023 2.23 patch is now out and significantly improves the game. Despite a massive release, the title's issues have been clear from the early access. Many players reported that the game engine needed to be fixed while defending the ball.

Sports Interactive has made the required changes accordingly, and players can expect much better performances. The Football Manager 2023 2.23 patch is now available for all PC users and makes crucial changes in the gameplay and the graphical side of things. While some were community-requested, others have come directly from the developer's side.

Let's take a look at the complete set of changes introduced with the Football Manager 2023 patch 2.23. Given the number of gameplay changes that have been introduced, the patch could be a game-changer for those who aren't entirely satisfied with the overall performance so far.

It can also solve the headaches of some aspiring managers who have been struggling to get the best out of their respective sides.

---

Football Manager 2023 2.23 patch brings key changes, improves stability and consistency of tactics

Earlier on December 1, Sports Interactive uploaded the entire Football Manager 2023 2.23 patch notes to the official forum. A quick glimpse reveals what has been the main area of attention of Football Manager 2023 2.23 patch by the developers.

• - Fixed defenders incorrectly stepping up at times when defending in a back three with no fullbacks/wingbacks
• - Adjusted the directness in some teams
• - Reduced the number of unrealistic lofted passes
• - Reduced players losing the ball too cheaply when playing with back to goal
• - Reduced the frequency of defenders giving the ball away in and around the box
• - Tweaks to defender anticipation when running towards the ball to attempt an interception
• - Tweaks to defender decision-making for aerial balls
• - Tweaks to defender reaction times in situations where they've switched off and made a mistake
• - Improved centre defender decision-making when covering for fellow CB outside the area
• - Improved corner defending, particularly defending at the near post

Gamers will be hopeful that the defenders will be much more responsive following the introduction of the Football Manager 2023 2.23 patch. Many players have felt that defenders haven't been up to the mark, and their in-game performances should match the desired levels.

---

The Football Manager 2023 2.23 patch has also made improvements in the movement of certain positions that felt lacking until now.

• Fixed double-AMC formations to make them wider when their team is in possession and/or is high pressing
• - Fixed central defenders in a back-four to be wider when building from deep
• - Further improved player decision-making between dropping into space to offer passing options or looking for space behind the defence
• - Improved defender off-the-ball positioning when the team is instructed to play out of defence and the GK receives a pass
• - Adjusted Inverted Wing-Back positioning to better support attacking play, particularly when the ball is on their flank
• - Tweaks to Mezzala drifting too wide in certain situations when trying to progress the ball

Along with the movements, the pressing of certain positions have also been tweaked to better reflect situations from real life. Goalkeepers have also been given a buff in Football Manager 2023 2.23 patch.

• Fixed pressing position of wingers when forcing inside/outside more
• - Fixed tactical position of wingers when pressing an opposition goal kick
• - Fixed central midfielders and wide players not pressing high enough when using the highest pressing trigger level
• - Fixed defensive midfielder pressing incorrectly on both sides of the pitch
• - General tweaks to the behaviour of attackers when using trap inside/outside instructions
• Tweaks to make the GK cover the near post better in certain situations
• - Improved the GK intelligence in various situations

---

Several changes have been made to the general gameplay with the introduction of the Football Manager 2023 2.23 patch, including improved CA progression rates for players in inactive leagues.

• - Improved Attribute distribution – NewGen generation + progression (eg. Crossing for fullbacks)
• - Improved AI club individual training logic
• - Tweaks to NewGen reputation
• - Fixed an issue where players’ individual position/role/duty training being incorrectly removed
• - Fixed an issue where the squad are unhappy with the lack of depth in a position not used in user’s regular tactic
• - Fixed an issue where players and the board incorrectly think that a club vision has failed
• - Fixed an issue where the number of scouts will reduce to zero when the scouting budget has been used up
• - Fixed average basic wages displays within Finances
• - Fixed an issue where there is not enough recommendations returned when user starts a recruitment focus with a role selected
• - Fixed an issue where the user was unable to cancel a scouting assignment on a player
• - Tweaks to U18 players’ interest for a pre-agreed transfer
• - Tweaks to AI transfer targets when using certain formations
• - Tweaks to recruitment focus the initial pool of players when creating a new focus
• - Improved AI loan negotiations when making counter offers

Additionally, the UI/UX of the game has also been improved.

• Fixed an issue where the touchline tablet auto changes during a match
• - Fixed an issue where the previous meeting panel displayed the incorrect number of games
• - Fixed an issue where the sort function in the squad registration screen
• - Fixed an issue where some scatter graphs aren’t displaying in the All Visuals dropdown
• - Fixed an issue where transfer appears twice in the transfer stat panel within Club Vision
• - Fixed an issue where the team form is being shown backwards within Dynamics
• - Fixed an issue where the users can’t access the Earring panel after using Photofit when creating a manager profile
• - Fixed an issue where visualisations from the analyst panel appeared in the wrong colour during a match
• - Added information on how many stoppages are left to make substitutions during matches

---

The Football Manager 2023 2.23 patch also brings changes to the rules of certain competitions. This has been done keeping all the rule changes from real life, that have taken across some competitions since the game was released, in mind.

• - Fixed an issue where the FA Cup second Round matches are being played on an unrealistic date
• - Fixed an issue where some players don’t have settled status in the UK
• - Fixed an issue where the group stage draw is triggered after the end of the group stage in the Copa Libertadores
• - Fixed an issue where some nations apply the maximum loan rules incorrectly
• - Fixed an issue where teams playing European matches on Thursday were playing league matches the following Saturday
• - Fixed an issue where the Italian Cup semi-final takes place during international window
• - Fixes to the Portuguese Championship including allocating the correct teams to the correct group
• - Updated a number of substitution rules
• - Improvements to scheduling in English top flight and less fixture congestion
• - Improvement to fixture scheduling in Italian Serie A for future Decembers
• - Added a January registration window to the new format of the Champions League to address player changes during the January transfer window
• - The Carabao Cup semi-finals are no longer being played at Wembley
• - Free transfers can now be signed outside transfer windows prior to March 23rd in England
• - All eligible match squads for EFL matches can now be submitted
• - Indonesian registration window dates now match the transfer window
• - Africa Cup of Nations to take place in January 2024
• - Added VAR to Scottish leagues
• - Finnish clubs are now updated in the correct divisions when the game starts in 2023 season
• - Updated foreign player rules for various Asian competitions

---

It remains to be seen how much impact the changes made by the Football Manager 2023 2.23 patch will have on the actual game. It should be noted that some of the changes will require new saves and won't work with the existing ones.