Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: Cardiff City can play 'loads' better

Kenwyne Jones scored just his second goal for Cardiff in the draw at Blackburn

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer acknowledges there is room for improvement after Cardiff City began their Championship campaign with a 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers.

Kenwyne Jones headed Cardiff ahead only for Tom Cairney to level for Blackburn before the interval.

Neither side threatened in a scrappy second half and, while happy with a point, Solskjaer says Cardiff can improve.

"We can play loads better football than this but we dug out a result," he said.

"It was never going to be a pretty game. It's the first game, it's away from home and they don't let you settle.

"They play a very direct style of football and have got [Rudy] Gestede and [Jordan] Rhodes as an outlet all the time.

"They caused us problems with Tom Cairney and Craig Conway. We knew about them, but I thought we handled them quite well.

Cardiff City striker Nicky Maynard goes past Blackburn's Alex Baptiste at Ewood Park

"To have come away from home and got a point here, we would have taken that before the game."

Jones' first-half header was only his second goal for Cardiff since joining the club from Stoke City in January.

The Trinidad and Tobago forward struggled to make an impression during Cardiff's unsuccessful fight to stay in the Premier League.

But Solskjaer said Jones had worked hard during pre-season and would be an integral part of his squad for the forthcoming Championship campaign.

"He's had a great pre-season, he's worked really hard. It's paid off for him," Solskjaer added

"Kenwyne's fitter now. He came not very fit [but] he's worked really hard over pre-season and we're going to keep working him.

"On his day he is very hard to handle and obviously the goal was great. Kenwyne's great in the air and we know that."

Cardiff City face Coventry City in the first round of the Capital One Cup on Wednesday with Solskjaer likely to rotate his squad.

Forward Federico Macheda, signed on a free transfer from Manchester United, is unlikely to be fit, but fellow summer recruit Javi Guerra could figure at Northampton's Sixfields Stadium.

"I don't think Kiko [Macheda] will be ready for Wednesday, but Javi will be ready," former Manchester United striker Solskjaer said.

"Players need more game time and there will be players who haven't played 90 minutes in pre-season that will get a game."