I'm not suggesting evolution is directed, intelligently or otherwise
All I'm suggesting is that pointing out weak spots in theories makes for better science, regardless of whether you're talking about physics, climatology, or biology. Those who reject out of hand any criticism of their pet theories are doing a disservice to science.
As for evolution itself, some, like Stephen Gould, have found that the slow gradual change of classic Darwinian evolution has problems. Gould proposed the idea of punctuated equilibrium (PE) as an alternative that builds upon Darwin's work. Whether it is disproven or found compelling is a matter for further investigation, as are other hypothesises based on scientific evidence.