A quick overview of the prequel trilogy and you see that everything happened as the Emperor wanted it to happen so that the end game resulted in anakin becoming his apprentice and him ruling the known galaxy.

Now there was one hickups: Assuming that Darth Vader could take down Obi-Wan..so he was a bit disapointed in his new apprentice.

Otherwise, did anything else go wrong? I think of him sending Maul to Tattoine. What was the point of that?

By sending Maul, he tipped the Sith hand. It could have been a calculated risk, but why alert your enemy that you are around when you could just as easily stay hidden in the shadows?

Maul then followed the two Jedi to Naboo. Again, what was the point? To kill a couple of Jedi? Palpatine had patience, he knew they could have waited till the purge in the clone wars that he had already put in motion (clones were being made at this time)

Maul was sent to kill and Jedi. Fine. what if he had done this? Gui gon and Obi Wan would be dead. Who knows what else Maul would have done? maintain the blockade? kill amidala? anakin? there must have been some other objective, but as things worked out so well for Palpatine, I struggle to think what that could be.

My next line of thought depends upon the fact that Palpatine knew about Anakin via Plagius. I dont know if this is canon or just supposition from some fans, but If Palps knew about him, and knew about Gui-Gon, then, using his future seeing abilities, then he might know that gui-gon would be too good a teacher for anakin, so needed someone tighter like obi-wan so that Anakin would rebel and bring him closer to the dark side.

But this would be a bit of a leap of faith on Palps side. Perhaps he just wanted to let the jedi know that they were around and scare them or something?

Who knows, I dont think we'll ever find out.