My expectations from Season 7 based on the label Bruno Heller leaked:

ENCORE- not a word usually associated with TV series, especially these days when shows get cancelled faster than you can say "bluebird". So what does it mean? The word itself is derived from French and it means "again". Interestingly enough the Italian version is Da Capo translated to "from the beginning". In relation to the show that would be Red John again, and explanations from the start. Does it mean EVERY clue? Some of the questions only exist in our minds, so NO, but the major ones, YES.
Encore is mostly associated with large arena concerts... and they are PLANNED. Meaning, the artist will not perform their "best" songs during the main frame. To further ensure further the demand for encore they "end" the concert with a mellow song forcing the audience to feel like they haven't got what they paid for... yet.

WHY WAS McALLISTER CHOSEN TO BE THE RED JOHN?- Because he was the least likely suspect. To understand the previous statement you have to analyze the opposite of that. What would have happened if they wanted Red John alive, but they also wanted the audience to believe you killed him... for good? You chose a patsy. Because if you chose a heavily suspected character like Partridge or Stiles for example; that would be CONVINCING. Would I watch the next 14 episodes after that? NO. For me, and quite possibly, for the rest of the RJ fanbase the show would have ended on the high note. Remember! the Jisbon was not a "thing", at the moment. Those who wanted to see them together would not be "in the bag"... yet. However, even with the low expectation of McAllister being Red John they made sure the reveal is done in a preposterous way, so the fans will have hope for the real deal. Let's face it, every suspect from the list can "come back" except one: McAllister.

WHY THE LONG INNUENDO?- To answer that question I have to go elsewhere, again. There was a movie that had the greatest surprise for me. (The movie itself was not to my liking so I won't mention the title). It had this long back and forth conversation between the 2 main character inside the car. It was perfectly calm and non confrontational. Then BOOM out of nowhere.. The first time I saw the T-Bone accident. Speechlessly, it caught me off guard. I have seen that many times later replicated, but none to the same effect. It only worked the first time, and no small thanks to the calm before the storm, set up. T-Bone is what comes next in Season 7.

JISBON vs. RED JOHN.- I can't understand the split in the fanbase like this is some sort of competition. Why cant the two coexist, especially when one depends on the other? Red John is coming back, because he wants to punish Jane, for the last time. The temptation is too big to be ignored. The only question is; How serious is the Jisbond? Perhaps they really fall in love. (Unlikely) Or Jane knows Red John is alive and uses Lisbon as a bait. (If you think that's not possible, then you watched the wrong show) Or they are both in it (Most likely, and perhaps a little bit attracted to each other- "like" brother and sister) Why the charade? Once again, let's look for the answer elsewhere. In many crime noir-pulp fiction stories the killer is one step ahead of the man in pursuit until... HE ISN'T. The cards must turn in good guys favor to catch the perpetrator. This is the scenario where Jane is, for the first time, not one but two steps ahead of Red John.
1. Jane knows Red John is alive, but Red John doesn't know he does, and
2. Jane is the one who set up the trap, and he will be waiting for the bastard.