if the combat as we have it now was really unique i would agree 100% but just becasue you have to press 11111 as the standard attack and the rest is like most mmos handle it... doenst make it unique. Its a copy form other existing games with the bad 1111 touch. AOC at least spiced this standard-mmo-system up a bit. But ffxiv didnt in one bit.

And since they seem to lack direction and creativity (lest hope its just because the lack of communication skills though)
they try to get the game closer to ffxi since that was pretty successeful compared to the majority of mmos.
Poor choice but the combat system atm is worse so i rather have a ffxi copy then the current system.

I would welcome a complete change something REALLY new and creative. But seeing the implementation of NMS (done like ffxi) the character models (done like ffxi) spell names (done like ffxi) 3 starter cities (done like ffxi) jobs/classes (almost the same as ffxi just less creative)... i doubt well see a big change in a new direction.

I really liked the different battle systems of the ff series and the only reason why people asking so much for ffxi-like changes is, that it is better in many cases, even if its not creative. They wouldnt compare it to ffxi if ffxiv wasnt copied in so many ways from ffxi. The few changes compared to ffxi are usually just not-implemented functions, but not different ones. they copied ffxi and left 80% of the good things and essentials out without a proper replacement.