Aye those are great points man. Makes sense. If it ain't broke or well more if it makes big money, don't fix it lol.
I have wondered if Oda has grown to hate certain characters now. It feels like it with some of his jokes. I swear he hates the ultra masculine, edgy type characters now too going by some patterns lol.
People change as they get older. The interests of Oda when he was young are likely not the interests he has now as an old man. Testosterone levels decrease as you get older, which changes how people act. This may explain your later point.
I personally think Oda doesn't like Usopp and, this may surprise you, Zoro, anymore. Zoro lost so much
character post-TS. My dude used to be pretty funny - now he's a one-bit walking stereotype toughman.
I feel like one of the things Oda has failed at in OP is the progression towards the crew's dreams. I haven't heard any Strawhat speak of their dream in anything of real consequence in so long.
For a story about pursuing dreams, it's actually just about the Pirate King. Everything else will be achieved collaterally.