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Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has admitted that Mario Balotelli wasn’t his first option when he had to replace Luis Suarez in the summer.
The Italian striker arrived from AC Milan for a fee of £16m but has so far only scored one goal in seven games – a goal against Champions League newcomers Ludogorets.
With Daniel Sturridge also injured, the Anfield club have struggled to score goals and have lost four out of nine games this season.
Balotelli must improve his creativity and strike rate: Rodgers
The Reds manager said: “I always said it was about availability and affordability of players.
“Mario was the one right at the very end who was available for that. I said when he came in that it was a calculated risk and it’s something I have to work on to try to make it work for the team.
“You assess what the group had. We brought in Rickie Lambert as someone who can play some games for us and come off the bench and be an impact player for us in certain games.
He also spoke about his other striker options in Sturridge and Lambert. “Daniel is a top Premier League player but has shown during his time here that he does get injuries so we needed to prepare for that. Obviously Fabio Borini looked like he was on his way out (to Sunderland).
‘We tried to sign other strikers’
Rodgers also said Liverpool weer in the market for other strikers with Samuel Eto’o being an option before the 33-year-old joined Merseyside rivals Everton.
“We had attempts for other strikers that didn’t materialise for one reason or another so it left us right at the end of the window with a decision on whether just to go with what we had, when experience told us we were too light, or take a calculated risk on a player who has quality and then could we get it out of him consistently?”
Rodgers also touched upon the striker’s behaviour which has been questioned many times in the past.
“In terms of his behaviour he is consciously trying to work hard at what we demand here, the intensity and work rate,” said Rodgers. “I think in terms of goals, he needs to improve. It is as simple as that. At this moment he has not hit the numbers he will have wanted.
‘Luis Suarez is irreplacable’
When asked whether Liverpool failed in their strategy to replace Luis Suarez, losing out on many targets like Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal) and Loic Remy (Chelsea), Rodgers said:“I wouldn’t say that.
“There are very few players who can replace Suárez. Actually there are no players who can replace Suárez. When you look at the availability of other players during the summer it was difficult for us.
“It’s no good now, I know, but we took a player in Divock Origi who we believe will be world class and we’ll get him next summer.” Origi was signed from Lille, but will stay at the Ligue 1 club on loan for a season.
“There were very few who are top class who were available and Mario Balotelli was a calculated gamble that we had to try to work with.”
