The connection between you and your teammates in a match can be the bridge that leads your team to victory. If the connection is unstable (for example, if one player is holding onto the ball for too long), it could ruin your chances of taking a win on that game. On the flip side, if the connection is stable and you are performing well as a team, your chances of success are increased significantly. It is all about understanding that you will have two or one other player(s) at all times to climb to victory with.

Two Versus Two Matches

In a two on two match, team synergy is just as important as a three versus three. Simply because there is one less teammate does not mean that understanding where your teammate is and what they're doing at all times becomes any less substantial. In fact, it could be argued that working together is even more important than compared to a three on three match. You only have one other teammate, after all.

Below is me and a friend in a two versus two match. My teammate rides the ball up the wall and notices the threat of an oncoming opponent. Instead of attempting to push past the defender, he saw me running up beside him and decided to pass to me. As I noticed this was the route he was taking, we managed to score a goal.

This is only one example of understanding a teammate's positioning and constructing useful plays around this knowledge.

There are almost countless other possibilities that could be explained that are purely based around team synergy and knowing where your teammate will be in a two on two match. It should always be known that passing to a teammate should be of most importance when a solo play seems to become much more difficult. By looking for your teammate instead, they may have a clearer target on the net with no opponents surrounding them, ultimately resulting in a goal for your team.

Other times that being aware of a teammate's position will become useful in a two versus two include:

When dribbling the ball towards the net, as your teammate may be going for a demolition of the remaining defender, meaning that you cannot afford to lose possession.
When going for a fancy shot such as a ceiling shot, air dribble ,or a normal dribble to a flick. Doing this when a teammate is not there to back you up can be dangerous.
When recovering from a missed shot. Instead of going all the way back to your half for boost, your teammate may already be there for a good passing opportunity.

Because there are only two members of a team in a two versus two match, noticing where your teammate is crucial for ranking up, as your gameplay will end up revolving all around this aspect of the game.

Three Versus Three Matches

A three versus three match means that you have two other teammates working with you. This, however, does not mean that you get a pass on being observant of your teammates' moves. Understanding how they play is just as important as in a two versus two.

Here is a clip of a three versus three match. I pass the ball to a teammate as an opponent is quite close to the area in which I was possessing the ball. This teammate runs the ball up the wall and plans on passing to the third player. This concluded in reaching our third player and the ball going into the enemy team's net. This was successful because a play involving all three members of your team is very unpredictable, and the enemy team are almost certain to become confused and, therefore, clustered or not be able to read your moves.

Not only does this confuse the enemy team, but converting the possession of the ball from one player to another allows players to return back to their side of the field to both collect boost and to guard the net in the instance of the team play being ruined. If you were to do a solo play when both teammates were there for available passes and the play is interrupted by an opponent, the other players would not have enough time to return back to collect boost. This means that team plays are more efficient for all players, successful or unsuccessful.

Times that looking for players in a three versus three match would be very important:

When two other teammates are out of position, leaving the net wide open.
When aiming to pass to someone, as you feel that you are losing control of the ball.
When returning back to net. If there is another player coming back, you may want to push forward again.

Make sure you keep rotations in mind, too. In a three versus three, there are more players, meaning that efficient rotations are very important. Two players of the same team should push the ball forwards. The remaining teammate should be close by, in the event of a pass, but also behind the other two in the case of the opponents gaining possession of the ball. Therefore, this player can defend a shot whilst the other two return to the net and collect boost.

Watch Your Replays

There are multiple reasons as to why being aware of your surroundings is so crucial to ranking up in Rocket League. However, to fully understand, one incredible way to learn this is to watch replays from your previous matches. This includes ones that you may have lost. Analyse the plays that you and your teammates had tried, and also the mistakes. You will find there are occasions where a teammate was available for a clear pass, yet you were unaware of their presence, meaning that you were intent of pushing forward instead.

Always make sure to spend a while doing this, and attempt to work on your mistakes in upcoming matches. You just might seem to see a gradual improvement not only through your replays, but through your in-game ranks.

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