How do Liverpool solve a problem like Balotelli?
Since Mario Balotelli joined Liverpool in the summer for £16million he has rarely been away from the headlines.
The Italian is box office due to his eccentric nature and obvious natural talent.
He has, through his own devices, been held back from reaching the potential his ability merits.
When he was at Manchester City the stories about his lifestyle bemused and entertained in equal measure, as he reportedly travelled to a department store for an iron and returned with a trampoline and quadbike.
After an 18-month spell in Milan he was brought back to the Premier League by Brendan Rodgers in the hope the maverick striker could fill some of the void left by Luis Suarez.
It's always a risk to bring in someone like Balotelli, who is unchained and struggles to follow instruction, but Rodgers was hopeful he could sort him out.
On the pitch Balotelli, as Balotelli does, has frustrated the fans and his team-mates alike. The striker has just one goal to his name and his allround game has brought sighs and anger from colleagues, due to his selfish and illogical play.
He finally seemed to push everyone over the edge on Wednesday night when at the end of a dismal first-half against Real Madrid, heswapped shirts with Portuguese defender Pepe walking down the Anfield tunnel.
It's 2014, the rules have changed, the world has modernised - so if a footballer wants to swap shirts with an opponent, let them get on with it and ensure they're offering all they can on the pitch.
Not contented with being hauled off at half-time, made even more impressive by the fact the lone striker was replaced by a midfielder, he subsequently ended up in another controversy on Thursday when he was accused of threatening behaviour by a woman in Manchester.
Liverpool legend Jimmy Case recently said: “To be bitterly honest Mario Balotelli is a waste of space at the minute. He is just not a team player.”
Something that can be backed up by the fact he only managed one assist during his spell at Manchester City, albeit for a goal that won the Premier League title. But he's a striker, so she should be overly chastised for wanting to shoot rather than pass.
Rodgers admits there was a level of unpredictability when signing Balotelli, recently stating: “We knew there was an element of risk in the signing but I don’t mind players that are different. I am not put off by individuality. It would be boring if all players were exactly the same. The key is whether a player can fit into a team or whether he sees himself as an individual.”
Now is the point when Balotelli has to dismiss the doubters and prove his abilities on the pitch. With an injury-hit Hull coming up at home on Saturday, the Italian will rarely get a better opportunity to get off the mark in the league.
Liverpool have given him what he wants: the chance to play week in, week out. Admittedly, he's been forced to play without a striking partner for most of the time due to an injury to Daniel Sturridge, but a professional needs to get over that quickly. His best performance came on his debut at Spurs, alongside Sturridge.
Liverpool have given him what he wants: the chance to play week in, week out. Admittedly, he's been forced to play without a striking partner for most of the time due to an injury to Daniel Sturridge, but a professional needs to get over that quickly.
Focusing on Balotelli's ineffective nature in a new side has allowed many to gloss over the fact they are leaking goals due to pure incompetence in defence, something that should concern Rodgers and the fans moreso.
Rodgers could soon add be adding himself to a growing list of managers including Jose Mourinho and Roberto Mancini who have failed to tame his precocious nature, but the hard love he is currently offering Balotelli has never worked in the past, and just seemed to consistently irk him.
Listening to Balotelli might be a more productive philosophy than just telling him what to do, but doesn't seem the first port of call for any of his previous mentors.
The Northern Irishman is playing the long game with Balotelli, but however many cards he thinks he holds, Balotelli has the ability to make them disappear in a flash of brilliance or stupidity.
Phoning Mourinho or Mancini won't help Rodgers, it's up to Balotelli to make the most of what he has. He will find his own way to self-destruct or fulfill his potential, ensuring we're permanently glued to his career until the end.