Watch as Gareth Bale’s brace against Real Sociedad gets Real Madrid’s season up and running

Gareth Bale has hardly been ineffective at Real Madrid but since his record-breaking transfer he still hasn't quite lived up to the heights of Cristiano Ronaldo. But who has?

Since his arrival at the Bernabeu in the summer of 2013, the Welshman has averaged just under a goal in every two games. That used to mean something pre Messi and Ronnie. Some of the greatest strikers of all time were doing well to hit those targets and, for a man playing on the right of a front three, those stats are superb. They've come to expect more now at Real Madrid who are waltzing over the top of 15 different La Liga teams every season but the early signs are good for Bale who was thriving on Sunday in the absence of Benzema and Cristiano. The Spanish giants beat Sociedad in their La Liga opener 3-0 and a brace from the former Spurs attacker helped them on their way. His first was a header that a certain Portuguese master would've been proud of. His second was a breakaway and cool composure that a certain all-time club top scorer would've been proud of. Gareth Bale is now holding himself as one of the planet's best. He's no doubt there but whether he truly believed it or not is another thing. He should be absolutely bullying weaker opposition on the flat track and his stats should be up there with the best of them. He's in his prime now. He's back from a two-year international campaign that brought Wales the whole way to the European semi-finals and he was integral to that. For a while, he was almost solely responsible for that. He knows now what he offers. He just needs to start offering it every week. Because he's already behind Luis Suarez in the Pichichi standings. Read more from SportsJOE: