Teams sat back for the majority of that 17/18 season and definitely the 18/19 season. You don’t get 100 points and then the next season every team open up against you. 18/19 was Sterling’s best season too (IMO).
You find a way to play with them if you want to, he’s the best coach in the world and isn’t dictated by how teams play against him. If he wanted to be exciting and play with pace and be direct then he would find a way.
He wants control, simple as that and that’s the only reason Grealish and Mahrez (both players I like btw) are playing rather than exciting wingers.