No, you're wrong.
It's not as if they had a stalwart middle as the game played around it anyway. We had no passing lanes through the centre with one option. I don't know why you refuse to see that. De Bruyne was constantly on the wings in the second half, anyway and he was rarely found through the middle in the first half. So, not "suicide" at all.
Having Gundogan would have allowed more vision to the pass through the lines or driving at them. Counterattacking happened with Bernardo in his position today, so why not push him forward to put them on the back foot?
And, since Alvárez pretty much is used to playing on the wing for the national side (and previous clubs) and supporting the striker, it becomes what Foden, Grealish and Mahrez does.
It makes me wonder why you thought having the team as was, was a positive move?
It struck me as cautious and, maybe, overly so for control when the balance could have been that AND with an attacking edge with players not out of form.