At the beginning of the new year, the CBA league ushered in an earth-shattering upset. Four of the five matches were played by underdogs against strong teams, with the most notable being Tianjin's victory over Shanghai and Fujian's victory over Xinjiang. These games not only made the fans addicted, but also made the media people impressed with the ability of some coaches. Among them, the most praised is Zhang Qingpeng, the head coach of the Tianjin team, who used his coaching skills to make the Tianjin team from a fish belly team to a dark horse team, allowing people to re-acquaint themselves with the former CBA star.
Zhang Qingpeng is a former CBA player who has played for Beijing, Shanxi, Guangdong and other teams, is an excellent scorer and playmaker, and once won the title of CBA Sixth Man of the Year in the 2008-09 season. After retiring in 2019, he began his coaching career, first as an assistant coach for Beijing and then as head coach of Tianjin in mid-2022. At that time, Tianjin's record was not ideal, ranking at the bottom, and the team's core players Jin Xin and Meng Zikai also left in the off-season, making people not hopeful about the prospects of Tianjin.
However, Zhang Qingpeng did not give up, and with his coaching ability, he led the Tianjin team to gradually get out of the predicament and played his own style and characteristics. He focuses on developing young players to grow and improve in the game, while also making the most of the role of the veterans, allowing them to develop consistency and leadership in key moments. His tactical arrangement is also very flexible, according to the characteristics of the opponent, to develop appropriate defensive and offensive strategies, so that the Tianjin team on the field to show strong combat effectiveness and cohesion.
Under Zhang Qingpeng's leadership, Tianjin's record has improved significantly, and it has achieved a record of 14 wins and 13 losses this season, ranking tenth, and is only one step away from the threshold of the playoffs. What's even more surprising is that the Tianjin team has defeated many strong teams such as the Guangdong team, the Guangsha team, and the Shanghai team in a row this season, showing the momentum of not being afraid of strong opponents, and is called the "giant killer" by the media. In last night's game, the Tianjin team completed the reversal of the Shanghai team when it was behind, which made the head coach of the Shanghai team, Li Qiuping, shake his head and sigh helplessly.
Winning this crucial game, the morale of the Tianjin team was greatly boosted, the players hugged and celebrated, and the beautiful director of the Tianjin Sports Bureau was also present in person to congratulate Zhang Qingpeng and the players. In an interview, Zhang Qingpeng modestly said that this victory is the result of the team's efforts and dedication, he just made some arrangements and adjustments, and thanked the players for their execution and confidence. He said that Tianjin is a young team, there are still many deficiencies and areas for improvement, and they will continue to work hard to strive for better results.
Zhang Qingpeng's performance made people look at him with admiration, and also made people full of expectations for the future of the Tianjin team. He used his strength to prove that he is a capable, potential and courageous coach, and also made the Tianjin team from a fish belly team to a dark horse team, giving the CBA league a touch of color. His story also gives a signal to other rookie coaches and underdog teams, that is, as long as you have faith, hard work, and wisdom, it is possible to create miracles and become a giant killer. Ladies and gentlemen, what do you think of Zhang Qingpeng and the Tianjin team? Feel free to leave a message to share your thoughts.
Liverpool lead the Premier League, can other teams catch up?
In the 20th round of the Premier League, the Reds defeated Newcastle 4-2
On January 2, Beijing time, the Premier League ushered in the 20th round of the focus match, and the defending champion Liverpool faced Newcastle United at home. It was a battle between attack and defence, with both sides showing good attacking prowess and scoring six goals. In the end, Liverpool continued to maintain their Premier League lead with a 4-2 win over Newcastle thanks to goals from Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Jordan Henderson and Jota.
The win took Liverpool to 45 points in the table, three points ahead of second-placed Aston Villa, five ahead of Manchester City with a game in hand and Arsenal who lost this round. The Reds have gone 10 games unbeaten in a row, with eight wins and two draws, showing strong competitiveness and consistency.
In the battle for the top four in the Premier League, Tottenham and Manchester United are expected to bounce back
After Liverpool, the battle for the top four in the Premier League is also fierce. Aston Villa, Manchester City and Arsenal are second to fourth, with a narrow difference in points and all looking to challenge Liverpool's supremacy. However, they all face different difficulties and challenges and will need to maintain a high level of focus and fighting spirit in the following matches.
Outside of the top four, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United have also performed well, finishing fifth and sixth with 39 and 38 points respectively, just a fine line away from the top four. They all have a strong squad and good coaches, and as long as they can adjust their form and tactics, they may be able to attack in the second half of the season. There is also a West Ham vs Brighton fixture in this round, with both teams having European ambitions and their wins and losses will have a direct impact on Manchester United's standings.
The Premier League's January schedule is a test for Liverpool
The Premier League will enter a high-intensity schedule in January, with the FA Cup and League Cup in addition to the league. This is a tough test for all teams, and they need to fight for as many points and trophies as possible while maintaining fitness and injuries.
The FA Cup clash between Arsenal and Liverpool in January's schedule is a Premier League clash and a battle of honour between two traditional giants, a game that cannot be lost for both teams and fans. Liverpool still have two Carabao Cup semi-finals to play against Fulham, a quality promotion side that the Reds cannot afford to take lightly.
In the Premier League alone, Liverpool's next opponents are Bournemouth, a weak relegation side with the Reds expected to pick up three points. However, they will face Chelsea and Arsenal in quick succession in early February, a clash between two key direct rivals that will have a direct impact on the battle for the top spot in the Premier League. Aston Villa's Premier League opponents are Everton, followed by Newcastle and Sheffield United, all of whom are mixed opponents, and Villa will need to maintain consistency and try to pick up more points. Manchester City's opponents are Newcastle, then Burnley and Brentford, all of whom are weaker opponents, and City have a chance to win all of them and close the gap on Liverpool. Arsenal's opponents are Crystal Palace, followed by Nottingham Forest and Liverpool, and it will be a difficult fixture and Arsenal will need to find a balance between the FA Cup and the league to try to avoid dropping points.
From the point of view of the difficulty of the schedule, Liverpool is undoubtedly the hardest, in addition to the competition is more dense than other opponents, the Reds will also lose the top scorer + assist king Salah in January, and Japanese defender Endo Hang, they will all participate in the Africa Cup of Nations and Asian Cup, which is a huge loss for Liverpool's attack and defense. Therefore, against Bournemouth, the Reds will have to give it their all to get the three points and prepare for the tough fixtures ahead.
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