I think Pope Francis didn't heed the old adage "scopa nuova, scopa bene" (the new broom sweeps clean) and took too long to effect change. He trusted the synodal process and his Clique of Cardinals to get the job done, without realizing they sing from the same hymnals, if not the same tunes. 
By taking his time and trusting the process, Pope Francis has allowed the resistance to regroup, making it much more difficult to do anything more than issue encyclicals and hope for the best. 
Unless, of course, he convokes an ecumenical council....