You know why there are less shouts, the content is not well geared to pick up groups and more people would rather do the content within their LS for better results. If anything the new content forces you to have a LS for the best results since having people you know that don't suck saves time and headache. It could very well be that anyone you had in your LS moved on to other LSes that could do the current endgame content or they switch to those to do the event then switch back. Also judging from the time of your post it might be a in between time of different time zones. Short of it, no we don't need more merges if you can't find a LS willing to take you in might be on you and not the game.

If you are not complaining about delve then you are complaining about VW and abyssea shouts, people are pretty much tired of both(least the people that put them together) and have moved on to delve.