Monday, August 13, 2018

MLS 2018 Form Guide ULTRA, Week 24: Masochist Edition


My favorite analogy below.
As noted in a (pretty fucking random) tweet last week, I wanted to switch these posts to, oh, 80% raw data. That didn't work, though, because the notes I keep here help with my CRS (Can't Remember Shit). I'll still post a purely narrative review of the week, which will be, much, much (much, much) shorter.

That said, the inferences I make below will deal with the same simple idea: whether or not any given team should, or shouldn’t have earned the result they did over the past weekend (and week before it, as the case may be). After that, I look at how things look for every MLS team for the week ahead. A thumbnail sketch of each team tops off all that (literally, it’s above the other stuff), and that’s pretty much what’s going on in the long tail down below. I haven’t done much research beyond watching MLS’s Match Day Central last night…and about an hour after my personal expiration date…and why does every show always feature dunking on Bobby Warshaw?

In case you’re not current, this is Week 24. Next, the lone, capitalized preposition of either “IN” or “OUT” signifies a team that is currently in the playoff picture - or, they were at some point. That’s something that’s always been trick and, bottom line, I’m adjusting those as I go, counting a team as IN in, say, Week 10, while counting that team as an OUT by the time Week 20 rolls around. It works better than I expected, anyway.

As always, I think I’ve got everything correct down below, but, swear to God, I see a new fuck-up every time I open the source doc. Maddening, I tell you., but I’m doing my best and aiming high, just like Tom Cruise would want me to do. As always, the teams are listed below in the order in which they appear in their respective conference standings. Enjoy!

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlanta United FC - 48 points, 14-4-6 (7-2-4 home, 7-2-2 away), 50 gf, 28 ga (+22), 24 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: DWDWLWDWWD (5-1-4 (2-0-3 home, 3-1-1 away), 18 gf, 10 ga)
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: AAHHAAHHAH
Record v IN Teams: 2-1-3
Record v OUT Teams: 2-0-2
Current Thumbnail Profile: Can beat anyone, but they don’t always do it. Can post a ton of shots, and won’t always win. And Josef Martinez will break the single-season scoring record this season.
Last Week: Bye week. Ah…
Next Week: They host Columbus, and that won’t be easy. They don’t like disciplined defensive teams.
4 home games remaining, 6 road games. IN/OUT Split: 4/6
They are getting into the playoffs, the only question is how loudly they’ll be roaring.

New York Red Bulls - 47 points, 15-6-2 (9-2-1 home, 5-2-1 away), 45 gf, 23 ga (+22), 22 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: WWWLWWWLWW (8-2-0 (6-1-0 home, 2-1-0 away), 17 gf, 8 ga)
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: AAHHAHHAHHA
Record v IN Teams: 4-2-0
Record v OUT Teams: 4-0-0
Current Thumbnail Profile: They get results, period, and have for fucking ever.
Last Week: A 1-0 win over Chicago, in Chicago. What they should do, basically. And they did it.
Next Week: Away to Vancouver, and, honestly, it only matter if they win. Because, holy fuck, if they win. This is the best streak in MLS right now, and it’s not terribly close.
6 home games remaining, 6 road games. IN/OUT Split: 4/8
Favorable schedule, and they haven’t wasted even one damn thing.

New York City FC - 47 points, 14-5-5 (10-0-2 home, 4-5-3 away), 48 gf, 31 ga (+17), 24 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: DWLWWWWLDW (6-2-2 (4-0-2 home, 2-2-0 away), 19 gf, 12 ga)
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: HHHAHHHAHA
Record v IN Teams: 3-1-1
Record v OUT Teams: 4-0-1
Current Thumbnail Profile: How do you get nervous, at least until the playoffs? They’re doing the job…
Last Week: …and then some. When they beat Toronto 3-2 in Canada, they boosted their status and left a (former?) rival the psychic dumps.
Next Week: Away to Philadelphia may or may not be what it used to be. This is one to watch.
6 home games remaining, 6 road games. IN/OUT Split: 6/6
A fucking wall of Eastern Conference games ahead. Six Points City. They should come out the other side all right.

Columbus Crew SC - 39 points, 11-7-6 (8-2-3 home, 3-5-3 away), 31 gf, 29 ga (+1), 24 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: DDLLWLLWWW (4-4-2 (3-1-2 home, 1-3-0 away), 13 gf, 19 ga)
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: HHHAHAAHAH
Record v IN Teams: 2-4-1
Record v OUT Teams: 2-0-1
Current Thumbnail Profile: Winning where they should, and losing where they should. Whatever, it’s paid off well enough lately.
Last Week: Beating Houston 1-0 is the minimum requirement, right? Done.
Next Week: No one expects anything when they play Atlanta on the road, and that’s precisely why it’ll matter if they pull it off. My faith in their defensive scheme may or may not be misplaced.
4 home games remaining, 6 road games. IN/OUT Split: 5/5
Columbus gets to coast a bit from September 19 on. They have to get there whole first - and so far they have.

Philadelphia Union - 30 points, 9-11-3 (5-4-2 home, 4-7-1 away), 32 gf, 39 ga (-7), 23 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: LLWLLWLWLW (4-6-0 (1-4-0 home, 3-2-0 away), 21 gf, 21 ga)
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: AHHAHAHAAA
Record v IN Teams: 1-4-0
Record v OUT Teams: 3-2-0
Current Thumbnail Profile: “Trends are actually and quietly good. At least in terms of sneaking up on the Eastern Conference.” I wrote that last week, and now they’re two spots into the playoffs. And they’ve reached the U.S. Open final again.
Last Week: Winning 3-2 at New England is a stellar result for them, and has the added bonus of giving the Revs a kick.
Next Week: They host NYCFC and…just watch that one. They’re meeting them in the best possible circumstances, or thereabouts.
6 home games remaining, 5 road games. IN/OUT Split: 5/6
They’ll, uh, want to rack up the points now. Their schedule gets ugly starting September 19.

Montreal Impact - 30 points, 9-13-3 (7-4-1 home, 2-9-2 away), 31 gf, 41 ga (-10), 25 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: WWWWLWDLDD (5-2-3 (4-1-1 home, 1-1-2 away), 14 gf, 8 ga)
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: HAHHAHAHHA
Record v IN Teams: 1-2-1
Record v OUT Teams: 4-0-2
Current Thumbnail Profile: Still in the playoffs by the short-danglies, but also just fucking tricky to handicap right now. Heard they upgraded, so that’s something to watch.
Last Week: A 1-1 draw away in Utah they had no business getting, really, but that’s the profile.
Next Week: Hosting a Chicago team that’s in a special kind of free-fall (total). These are the must-win moments for a team on the margin.
5 home games remaining, 4 road games. IN/OUT Split: 4/5
If Toronto gets tougher, so does their end-run. Have three Hell games in a row starting September 1.

New England Revolution - 29 points, 7-8-8 (6-4-3 home, 1-4-5 away), 38 gf, 38 ga (+/-0), 23 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: WDDWDLLLDL (2-4-4 (2-2-2 home, 0-2-2 away), 18 gf, 15 ga)
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: HAAHHHAAAH
Record v IN Teams: 1-2-0
Record v OUT Teams: 1-2-4
Current Thumbnail Profile: Their slow slide out of the playoffs was entirely justified, and that’s sort of everything.
Last Week: And losses at home to Philly is how you make sense of that.
Next Week: Away to DC, and I don’t know how a team this glass-jawed breaks even on goal differential.
4 home games remaining, 7 road games. IN/OUT Split: 5/6
Four tough games after DC away will put them at real risk of falling the rest of the way off.

Orlando City SC - 23 points, 7-15-2 (5-5-2 home, 2-10-0 away), 35 gf, 56 ga (-21), 24 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: LLLLWLLLDL (1-8-1 (1-2-1 home, 0-6-0 away), 12 gf, 29 ga)
Last 10 Home/Away: AHAAHAHAHA
Record v IN Teams: 0-5-1
Record v OUT Teams: 1-3-0
Current Thumbnail Profile: Fighting hard, fucking up. That sums it up nicely.
Last Week: Like a trout, you can fight as hard as you want, but you’ll always succumb so long as that hook hangs in your mouth.
Next Week: A bye week next week (ah!), then a week in fresh Hell, when they host Atlanta.
5 home games remaining, 5 road games. IN/OUT Split: 7/3
This team is literally doomed. They haven’t seen the sun since May (fucking) 19.

Toronto FC - 23 points, 6-12-5 (4-5-2 home, 2-7-3 away), 39 gf, 44 ga (-5), 23 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: DLLLDLWWDL (2-5-3 (1-2-0 home, 1-3-3 away), 21 gf, 20 ga)
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: HAHAAAAHAH
Record v IN Teams: 0-3-0
Record v OUT Teams: 2-2-3
Current Thumbnail Profile: To this point, Toronto has only proved they can beat Chicago. Also, tied on points with Orlando, something that defies belief.
Last Week: Last year’s champs are like Rocky in the first part of Rocky(s) III, IV, and maybe V (I don’t know because I didn’t see that one, and are there even that many?), only they may never get that revitalizing training montage this season.
Next Week: San Jose away, and we might be discovering a new example for “bathos.”
6 home games remaining, 5 road games; IN/OUT Split: 6/5
They’ve got two games (SJ away, then Montreal at home) to get some confidence, because they’ve got four games of pain after that (@ Portland, v. LAFC, v. LA Galaxy, @ Red Bulls). It’s mildly ridiculous they’re just seven points out of the playoffs.

Chicago Fire - 23 points, 6-14-5 (4-7-2 home, 2-7-3 away), 35 gf, 49 ga (-14), 25 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: DDWLLLLLLL (1-7-2 (2-3-0 home, 0-4-2 away), 14 gf, 23 ga
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: AAHAHAHAAH
Record v IN Teams: 1-5-0
Record v OUT Teams: 0-2-2
Current Thumbnail Profile: This is a team in crisis.
Last Week: A 0-1 home loss to the Red Bulls….well, it ain’t good. That leg’s gonna come off, and god bless you.
Next Week: A road game against Montreal isn’t the solution, unless it is, and Ignacio Piatti deserves a vastly better setting for his soccer, but not his life.
4 home games remaining, 5 road games. IN/OUT Split: 4/5
It doesn't matter. Nothing matters.

DC United - 21 points, 5-9-6 (4-1-1 home, 1-8-5 away), 33 gf, 38 ga (-5), 20 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: LDLDWLLWDW (3-4-3 (2-1-0 home, 1-3-3 away), 19 gf, 20 ga)
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: AAAAHAHHAH
Record v IN Teams: 0-3-0
Record v OUT Teams: 3-1-3
Current Thumbnail Profile: They get it. They’re picking up wins at home. And that’s their job.
Last Week: A 3-2 home win over Orlando that took all the heroism in Wayne Rooney’s implants to come off.
Next Week: They're beginning to catch up on games, hosting first the Portland Timbers, then the Revs. They should get three points, maybe four depending on Portland’s mood.
11 home games remaining, 3 road games. IN/OUT Split: 9/5
Just to note it, the numbers for the rest of their schedule was a mess. (Sorry!) They have some seriously tough opposition ahead of them – including each of the New Yorks twice. Given that, I’d write ‘em off, frankly.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

FC Dallas - 42 points, 12-5-6 (7-1-4 home, 5-4-2 away), 38 gf, 29 ga (+9), 23 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: WLWWLWDWLL (5-4-1 (3-1-0 home, 2-3-1 away), 13 gf, 16 ga)
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: HAAHAHAAHA
Record v IN Teams: 3-2-0
Record v OUT Teams: 2-2-1
Current Thumbnail Profile: I was talking Supporters’ Shield for this team not long ago, but…I mean, yes, we all wait for them to collapse every fucking year. Dallas soccer fans must just fucking loathe late summer.
Last Week: They lost 1-2 in Seattle and the trends made sense of that.
Next Week: Hosting Minnesota, which isn’t what it used to be.
5 home games remaining, 6 road games. IN/OUT Split: 4/7
Still a soft schedule ahead – though two of those OUT games come against Houston. If they drop points outside those games (coming soon), plus a tough patch in late September (v. CLB, @ VAN, @ PTD), you’ll know they’re in trouble.

Sporting Kansas City - 39 points, 11-6-6 (6-2-3 home, 5-4-3 away), 42 gf, 30 ga (+12), 23 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: WDWLLDLLWW (4-4-2 (2-1-1 home, 2-3-1 away), 18 gf, 17 ga)
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: HAHAAHAHAA
Record v IN Teams: 1-3-1
Record v OUT Teams: 3-1-1
Current Thumbnail Profile: After getting nothing for playing opponents tight, SKC has picked up a couple wins. The ship looks a little more upright.
Last Week: They shut-out LAFC in LA, 2-0. A couple things could be happening there, but that’s a hell of a result/nice surprise for SKC.
Next Week: They host a Timbers team a good time – they feel confident and Portland could be a little leggy, what with two road games in one week.
6 home games remaining, 5 road games. IN/OUT Split: 5/6
A couple games aside (v. POR, @ Seattle, @ Philly), Sporting has a real chance to pile on points between now and the end of September.

Portland Timbers - 37 points, 10-4-7 (7-1-3 home, 3-3-4 away), 34 gf, 27 ga (+7), 21 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: DDDWWDDWWL (4-1-5 (3-1-3 home, 1-0-2 away), 15 gf, 10 ga)
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: HHAAHAHHHH
Record v IN Teams: 1-0-3
Record v OUT Teams: 3-1-2
Current Thumbnail Profile: On one hell of a run, no question…even though it just ran out. Having a damned solid season, but still wanting the cavalry.to show up (Don’t forget the kid with the fife!)
Last Week: Came out terminally flat at home against Vancouver (a bummer about which I’ve already whined about at length). They had the padding to take it, but still…
Next Week: Away to DC United (which I hope they try to win on the cheap), then away to the team that just leap-frogged ‘em (SKC).
6 home games remaining, 7 road games. IN/OUT Split: 5/8 (I’m calling Seattle IN)
How well RSL is playing toward the end could decide the season (trends are good! (for Portland)); they play Vancouver again, and at the death, but that’s the worst of it. To get asshole-ish about it, this team should make the make the playoffs comfortably with this schedule. It’s got a bump or two (e.g., a much, MUCH improved Seattle team at home), but that’s the worst of it.

Los Angeles FC - 36 points, 10-7-6 (5-1-5 home, 5-6-1 away), 45 gf, 39 ga (+6), 23 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: WWWDWDLDLL (4-3-3 (3-1-2 home, 1-2-1 away), 20 gf, 18 ga)
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: AHHAHHAHAH
Record v IN Teams: 2-2-2
Record v OUT Teams: 2-1-1
Current Thumbnail Profile: The “league sweet heart” talk should have dried up after the last four five results. They haven’t had a win since July 7 - when they played Orlando at home. They’re 0-3-2 since then.
Last Week: They lost 0-2 at home to SKC, a blow on several (standings) levels (mental state/belief).
Next Week: They host Real Salt Lake Wednesday, then Colorado on Sunday. If they don’t manage six points from that, that’ll raise sharp questions – and quite possibly make space for 2, 3 teams below.
6 home games remaining, 5 road games. IN/OUT Split: 3/8
Circumstances have softened up their schedule quite a bit, but no one’s going to just invite them to the playoffs. Picking up that (blow-out) loss to Minnesota in the run of recent games looks like a bigger deal now than it did then.

Los Angeles Galaxy - 36 points, 10-8-6 (6-4-2 home, 4-4-4 away), 46 gf, 40 ga (+6), 24 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: WDDWWWDWLD (5-1-4 (3-0-2 home, 2-1-2 away), 24 gf, 17 ga)
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: HAHHAAAHAH
Record v IN Teams: 3-0-1
Record v OUT Teams: 2-1-3
Current Thumbnail Profile: After chewing their way up the table with an easy win here and a less easy win there, the Galaxy caught its toe on something over the last couple weeks. But what?
Last Week: Drew 2-2 versus Minnesota in LA, not something ambitious teams do.
Next Week: Host Colorado tomorrow (to whom they lost to on the road a couple weeks back), then travel to Seattle – where we’ll see what they’ve got. And that makes tomorrow a must-win (if they want to keep up/have people take them seriously).
5 home games remaining; 5 road games. IN/OUT Split: 2-ish (it’s complicated)/8(-ish)
Things look trickier with Seattle rising (they play them twice, and that’s what makes the IN/OUT split “complicated”), ditto with Vancouver. If the Galaxy are as good as 4th in the West.

Real Salt Lake - 35 points, 10-9-5 (9-1-3 home, 1-8-2 away), 34 gf, 41 ga (-7), 24 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: LDLWWLDDWD (3-3-4 (3-0-3 home, 0-3-1 away), 15 gf, 15 ga)
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: AHAHHAHAHH
Record v IN Teams: 2-1-0
Record v OUT Teams: 1-2-4
Current Thumbnail Profile: It’s been better lately, but it’s also been at home lately. It remains squeaky-bum time in Utah, which means they need every home point than can get.
Last Week: And that’s why drawing Montreal 1-1 in Utah won’t cut it. But, wait! There’s more!
Next Week: Away to LAFC Wednesday, then Houston on Saturday. Between the stars and sheep guts, they’ll be lucky to get two points out of that swing.
4 home games remaining, 6 road games. IN/OUT Split: 6/4
Holding on by a thread, and it’s fraying. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see Seattle catch them by the weekend. (With Vancouver, they catch a (potential) break; see below.)

Vancouver Whitecaps FC - 33 points, 9-9-6 (5-2-4 home, 4-7-2 away), 38 gf, 47 ga (-9), 24 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: WWLLWLLWDW (5-4-1 (3-1-0 home, 2-3-1 away), 18 gf, 18 ga)
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: AHAHHAAHAA
Record v IN Teams: 1-2-1
Record v OUT Teams: 4-2-0
Current Thumbnail Profile: Their “fuck possession!” approach is paying dividends lately, and against good teams (NYCFC and...I don’t wanna talk about it). Things looking much better for this bunch.
Last Week: A 2-1 road win over Portland, broke their streak and Rose City hearts. I watched this one (by way of watching the Timbers), and the ‘Caps were good for the win, even after surrendering over two dozen shots and (again) virtually all possession. They were sharp where and when they had to be.
Next Week: And they’ll have to do it again when they host the Red Bulls on Saturday. If they get three points from that game, several teams above them would do well to take notice.
6 home games remaining; 4 road games. IN/OUT Split: 5/5
“They’ll have to survive a couple clusters (Games 23-25 & 31-34)” is how I put it a few weeks back, and they did very well with that first one. Also as noted then, “barring more gutsy draws, this stretch could say plenty.”

Seattle Sounders FC - 32 points, 9-9-5 (5-4-2 home, 4-5-3 away), 26 gf, 26 (+/-0), 23 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: DLWDDWWWWW (6-1-3 (3-1-1 home, 3-0-2 away), 17 gf, 9 ga)
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: HHAAAHAHAH
Record v IN Teams: 3-1-2
Record v OUT Teams: 3-0-1
Current Thumbnail Profile: “…they’ll have no trouble hauling down a team like RSL.” They’ve won five straight and look like the much better bet, between last year’s finalists, to make another run. The bastards.
Last Week: Beat Dallas 2-1 in Seattle, a big hurdle to clear.
Next Week: They host LA, a big game and with stakes just as high for both teams.
6 home games remaining, 5 road games. IN/OUT Split: 6/5
Another team whose fate has shifted with circumstances. According to current form for all concerned, Seattle has to travel through Mad-Maxian wastes until September 23 (i.e., tough games ahead), but they’ll coast into the playoffs if they manage that (those last five games…).

Minnesota United FC - 29 points, 9-13-2 (8-4-1 home, 1-9-1 away), 38 gf, 48 ga (-10), 24 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: LLWLWWWLLD (4-5-1 (4-2-0 home, 0-3-1 away), 21 gf, 20 ga)
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: AHHAHHHAHA
Record v IN Teams: 3-1-1
Record v OUT Teams: 1-4-0
Current Thumbnail Profile: Clinging to respectability, thanks for a reliable scorer/all-round troublemaker (Darwin Quintero). Shows what a goal scorer can mean to a team.
Last Week: Drew the Galaxy 2-2 in LA, and that’s gotta feel pretty good.
Next Week: Away to Dallas, which feels like the universe handing out measuring sticks.
4 home games remaining; 6 road games. IN/OUT Split: 7/3
The best thing you can say about that schedule is that some of the IN teams they face have slowed down (e.g., now RSL), while others are marginal (e.g., Philly), but that IN/OUT split, and on that few home games? Knock a forest’s worth of wood for these guys

Houston Dynamo - 27 points, 7-10-6 (6-4-2 home, 1-6-4 away), 39 gf, 34 ga (+5), 23 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: WLDWDDLLLL (2-5-3 (2-2-2 home, 0-3-1 away), 15 gf, 15 ga)
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: HAHHAHHAAA
Record v IN Teams: 0-5-2
Record v OUT Teams: 2-0-1
Current Thumbnail Profile: Look like I called the Dynamo “the best worst team in MLS” (or was it the “worst best team in MLS”?) too damn soon. The one thing keeping them afloat – the attack – has gone absent of late.
Last Week: A 0-1 loss at Columbus isn’t terrible on its own. In context, however…
Next Week: They host RSL, one of the worst road teams in MLS. If that can’t them back on track…start panicking, Houston.
5 home games remaining; 6 road games. IN/OUT Split: 6/5
To repeat, this team walks through the Shadow of the Valley of Death until mid-September – and that makes RSL at home look like a vital oasis. I wouldn’t count on them making it out of the desert.

Colorado Rapids - 23 points, 6-12-5 (5-5-3 home, 1-7-2 away), 29 gf, 38 ga (-9), 23 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: DWWLLDDLWW (4-3-3 (3-1-2 home, 1-2-1 away), 15 gf, 15 ga)
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: HHAHAHAAHH
Record v IN Teams: 1-2-1
Record v OUT Teams: 3-1-2
Current Thumbnail Profile: The worst team in MLS that no other team wants to play. Trending positive after a Season of Pain.
Last Week: Beat San Jose 2-1 in Colorado, thereby proving that they are not the worst team in MLS…though, again, every team that’s even on points with Orlando, or below them, can only be seen through side-eye.
Next Week: Consecutive away games in the LA area, both the Galaxy (tomorrow) and LAFC. Either the happy days come to an abrupt end, or these guys build their legend. Keep your eyes on this one….
4 home games remaining, 7 road games. IN/OUT Split: 7/4 (maybe even 8/3; Seattle, again)
Dead, but dangerous. And we’ll know how dangerous soon.

San Jose Earthquakes - 16 points, 3-13-7 (1-4-4 home, 2-9-3 away), 34 gf, 44 ga (-10), 23 GP
Last 10 Games, Results: LDDDLLLDWL (1-5-4 (0-4-1 home, 1-1-3 away), 14 gf, 18 ga
Last 10 Games, Home/Away: HHAHAAHHAA
Current Thumbnail Profile: With Florian Jungwirth admitting it could be personnel, if relegation were a thing…just sayin', man…another season up in flames.
Record v IN Teams: 1-2-4
Record v OUT Teams: 0-3-0
Last Week: Lost 1-2 in Colorado, and that just felt like what would happen.
Next Week: Toronto at home feels doable, at least. Tied for most demoralized?
6 home games remaining, 5 road games. IN/OUT Split: 7/4
The wall is coming. Games 25-32 would be tough for any team, but for San Jose. Much as the single-season scoring record was always going to fall, they’ve got a shot at a worse season than DC’s epic fail, whenever that happened.

Thus concludes the tidal wave of information.

No comments:

Post a Comment