Rodgers wrote:I can categorically tell you Mario Balotelli will not be at Liverpool.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/aug/03/liverpool-not-sign-milan-mario-balotelli-brendan-rodgers
Since then you haven't been linked with him at all and instead but linked with numerous other targets that have all failed to come to fruition. Seems pretty clear that when Rodgers said that in early August he was under the illusion that Liverpool could do better. Now that you've failed to attract any big name strikers you're just going to have begrudgingly take him as a last resort.