It's not a terrible window if we keep our best players together in a squad that's finished 3rd, 2nd and 3rd in the last 3 seasons.
Continuity is greatly under-rated when it comes to a squad that already has many good players: as I've said before, many people place far too much emphasis on signing new players.
Since Fergie retired, United have signed around 27 new players - the equivalent of two and half teams of eleven players - but have done worse than Spurs in the league in that period.
I'm somewhat surprised that we haven't signed even a single player, but that of itself does not make it a terrible window.
As Pochettino has just said: "The market was crazy. The World Cup changed the mind of everyone. We didn’t sell players & with 25 in the squad it is difficult to add. It's not about adding because it's fashionable to sign players. [It’s about] if you really need & if you can get your target" [my emphasis].
He went on to say: "I'm not worried, not sad, I'm so happy. If you can’t add a player that can improve your squad, the most important thing is to make sure you don't lose your best players. I think that was a great job from the club to keep the best players - and the best manager”
No words. Is there anything you can't try and spin in to a positive? It's been an absolutely terrible window. We've addressed none of our problems whereas Liverpool and Chelsea (our two biggest rivals for top four) have both added players and strengthened, the former considerably. Both teams who finished above us strengthened more than we did despite not doing much themselves. You can't just stand still and expect to not slide down the table eventually when others around you aim to constantly improve and add to their team.
United struggled with some terrible managers and poor spending, yet eventually it paid off and they finished ahead of us, it's a terrible example. The biggest spenders in the league (United, City, Chelsea) win the most leagues and trophies, United in their 'terrible' period after Fergie have won more trophies than we have in our best period in ages. You can't just sit there and continue to deny the clear fact that those who strive to improve their team are the ones who win trophies, the most important thing in football and what will be remembered, not shiny new facilities.
We've got a fantastic team which needs a little extra to compete, but we've completely failed to even attempt to add that. To not even try an add a midfielder with Dembele's current issues is an absolute disgrace, it's clear he's on the wane and we're once more going to completely rely on him as the only player to provide any kind of drive from midfield. We're going to be in a massive struggle for top four now, and better hope that we don't suffer any bad injury issues, that the world cup players can come back and be ready quickly, and that missing Son for a period of time doesn't have too much of an impact.
What was Pochettino meant to say, exactly? He's not going to rip in to Levy a week before the season starts. He's going to do his absolute best to work with what he has, and of course he's going to have praise for the team. If you actually think he didn't want more from this window, and that he's satisfied with adding absolutely nothing, then you're outright delusional.
