PAUL Lambert has explained why Fode Koita has fallen behind Chris Brown in the Blackburn Rovers striking pecking order.

Summer signing Koita came on in the 2-1 derby triumph at Preston North End that ensured Lambert’s Rovers reign off to a perfect start.

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But the former France Under-21 international, a free transfer arrival from Caen in July, failed to make the bench for the 2-2 home draw with Sheffield Wednesday and last Saturday’s 2-0 win at Bristol City.

Well-travelled former Sunderland and Preston North End targetman Brown took the 25-year-old’s place on the bench for Lambert’s second and third matches in charge of Rovers.

And, after a watching brief against Wednesday, the 30-year-old impressed his new manager with his performance off the bench in the Ashton Gate success.

Rovers boss Lambert, whose side welcome Rotherham United to Ewood Park tonight, said: “I’ve had a chat with Fode. He does some good things and he does some things that are maybe not at the level.

“But that’s normal for somebody coming into a new country.

“Chris has been around the block so many times and he knows the game. And, as I said on Saturday, he played a massive part for us.

“Whether he feels good because a new manager has come in, he’s probably best to answer that himself. But I know what I’m going to get from him.

“Fode is a little bit different because he’s an unknown and he’s still getting up to speed with things.

“He’s a terrific lad and he has got power and pace but I just think Chris, at the minute, is a little bit ahead of him.”