Two containers, one in a poor state (6,4)
I believe the answer is:
basket case
'two' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are singular nouns.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I don't see?
I don't understand the remainder of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for basket case that I've seen before include "A nervous wreck" , "Person unable to function properly" , "Very poor country" , "hopeless type" , "economically weak country" .)