I think they just have way too many characters. Way too many subplots. It's like they start to tell a story and then it gets abandoned.
They need to just do what Oz used to with the flashbacks and keep it moving. Focus on a few storylines at a time like Woodbury and the prison.
The show thinks it has depth like Game of Thrones where it can stray away from characters, but it doesn't have it. That's why this season has been more entertaining because they've stayed in their lane.