Yeah I'm struggling to see how anyone can give more than a 5/6 tops. The aim of transfer windows is to strengthen your side. If you had said to a Saints fan after the Man Utd game last season "This is going to be your squad come September 1st" and showed them what we have now I don't thnik anyone would say it looked stronger. The reason people are so happy is because of the turbulent time we had in the middle of the window where everyone was leaving, we were the hub of a load of jokes from other fans and we have gone and signed some players to shut a lot of these people up.
The 2 "known" quantities in the PL we have signed are Long and Bertrand, great. The others could all go one way or the other so not sure how people can rank it anywhere but average at this current time.
By September 1st:
Shaw: Basically gone already.
Lallana: Had started moaning and didn't want to play for us again.
Lovren: Was eagerly jumping up and down ready to hand his transfer request in after the game.
Lambert: Still looked a player that age was finally catching up with him.
Chambers: Still had that release clause in his contract.
Pochettino: Was still going around lying to the club and fans saying he will talk about signing a new contract in a few weeks.
Many people knew since March time that Shaw and Lallana were going but some choose to ignore what people(that had heard it from people at the club etc) were saying.
To come out of the transfer window getting rid of the players that didn't want to be here and bringing in decent players to replace them is worthy of more then a 5. Yes we still have to see how they do, but they have started off well. When was the last time we won away at West Ham 3-1?
As for how would you say the squad is stronger back then. Yes I would have as it clearly is:
Yoshida: is fourth choice.
Hooiveld: is gone, that is stronger right?
We now have 4 people( not including youth) that can play on the wingers that is stronger as well.
Rodriguez
Tadic
Mane
Long
We now have two good if not great Gk's
Forster
Boruc
And midfield is just as strong as last season.
As a whole the squad is stronger, but the team still has to be given time to see if the first team is as strong.