The inconsistency is not with the writher Kishi,it’s the falls assumptions some fans took as being were the Manga was heading. Some Fans falsely assume that NaruSaku was going to happen regales of 700 chapters of Sakura saying Sasuke-kun and turning down every male that was not Sasuke. Some were delusional in thinking that the Naruto Manga was actually the Sasuke Manga and others were delusional thinking Sakura was going to be a Sage and equal to Naruto. Instead of getting into the mind set of Kishi to see were the Manga was going they acted as if they were writhing it and their assumptions were reality. Look you were in Kishi car and Kishi was driving,you were in the backset for the ride so stop the back seat driving.