I guess call me crazy but I just legitimately don’t understand the “lack of cohesion” complaints. The two films are different, sure, but not anymore so than a second part should be. I feel like the ST is well on it’s way to being a very cohesive set of films telling one story across three films.
I think, for example, the difference between TFA and TLJ is far less drastic than, say, the difference between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. And I think it’s about on par with the differences between the original Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back (this is something that can be really hard to wrap your head around if you only ever knew them together - I can attest to this from experience).
I personally feel the bigger issue with the ST is it’s lack of cohesion with the other six films in the saga. I think the ST even with TLJ struggles to find its own voice. As much as I can enjoy the three Disney films, even if I’m more critical of TLJ than TFA and RO, I struggle to see the added value of episodes VII and VIII in the overarching narrative. I think RJ’s trilogy may be more interesting going forward, as it apparently will be unrelated to the “main saga”, but thusfar the ST feel more like franchise extension than anything else, recyling many elements of the previous films (with some twists) and the aesthetics. Returning to Empire versus rebels still feels like a huge cop out, as if Star Wars is destined to repeat itself ad nauseam.