When I give anyone the impression I create problems where there are not, then one is under illusion. When I do so, it's that I miss something and it is never intentional. have no intention nor pleasure to make things more difficult than they are. I have worked, suffered, and been fair enough now to add to myself any non needed difficulty.
If your goal is trading as business and not just keep something alive – try this plan.
Choose trading timeframe and higher (context) timeframe. For example, just illustrative, 5min and 30min. Define objectively for 30min what is strong trend, channeling trend, wide range. If the 30min is not in one of these three defined state, than no trading.
What are you researching here is basically classic 1-2-3 pattern and it is good enough to trade – BUT the conditions for entry MUST be different for strong trend, channeling trend and range. The universal profitable pattern for all market contexts aka holy grail is the beginner’s dream. You can spend all your life in quest for holy grail. Not wise choice at all.
So, define context and research how 123 pattern on 5 min behave in each context separately. Consider to take not more than 3 trades per move. Expect the last (3rd) trade to be shorter term. Move is swing in direction of trend only for strong trend, from one edge of channel to another in channeling trend, from bottom to top or vice versa for range. Research MAE and MFE and find optimum criteria for entry and exit. Do it for first 123 pattern in move, second and third. This stat analysis must be done separately for each context, never mix.
Recognize potential chop/high risk. There is very good info about it.
https://www.elitetrader.com/et/threads/help-ive-been-chopped.277421/
VERY important point - all this thread and all anti-chop filters are for context timeframe, not trading timeframe. The thread starter nodoji traded off 1 min and 5 min was the context. There is some additional info about chop/high risk uncovered in the thread, I can share if you will be interested.
The last point. You use ES for research. This market is very complicated and not good choice for beginner IMHO. You are in Europe and this means you have access in daytime to the Euro Bund future. This market is much more attractive for daytrading than ES.
This your thread shows that you are hard working person so you have all chances to succeed in trading business. All the process I described above is objective, no ‘feel for price action’ or ‘traders intuition’ needed. BTW, where is volume? There is no volume in this plan but you can include it and test objectively whether volume does matter or not. Compare results with volume in equation and without. You will know whether volume matters, knowledge is always better than belief.