I think the issue is that WotC are in a damned if you do, damned if don't position. Some folks were framing the a la carte options as micro transactions, and claiming they were the thin edge of the wedge towards being able to pay to win, etc. I know, because I was involved in some of those discussions arguing that being able to buy a la carte was great and had nothing to do with pay to win.
And now that WotC is getting rid of the a la carte options, allegedly because they have been linked to micro transactions (though I've yet to see direct evidence of WotC's motives for this change), they are again being framed as the villains who are looking for another way to gouge us, I guess.
So having a la carte options makes WotC evil corporate jerks playing the long game to gouge us, and getting rid of the a la carte options makes WotC evil corporate jerks playing the short game to gouge us, I guess.
I very much agree with the point someone made earlier: there are a lot of folks on this forum with an axe to grind against WotC or 5e, and seem to look at everything that happens with an eye towards finding the way to spin it in the most negative way possible.