-What is the score?/who will receive next half?
-How many turns left until the turn I am planning to score?
-How many squares left to get to the endzone?
-MA of the player holding the ball
-Number of players on the pitch for each side
-Identify players I will have a shot at bringing down
According to that and the position, I set myself a target "speed = 2 squares/turn" or something like that. I take extra care doing it the first turn after my cage has been formed.
That way you can manage the clock more effectively.
If your playing dwarves for instance, a typical caging team, if you are 8 squares away from the endzone, there are 5 turns left, 7 elves in front of you, 2 are tied up no need to hurry.

Sometimes you will find you are already late. At least you are aware of it sooner and don't realize it is turn 7 and you still have to make dodges pass gfi, and all the thing a caging team should'nt do

Of course, this is just a guideline I follow, and everyone does this in some sort, but formalizing it has helped me when I was learning dwarves and khemri, coming from dark elves ^^