Favourites, yes, comfortable favourites, debatable. A lot has changed, and new players need to get accustomed to the habit and mentality of a winning unit, and the consistency that encapsulates it all. Allegri is more a tactician, and not the kind of guy who will necessarily instill that mentality on a daily basis, like say, a Conte did.
Which means we need leaders on the pitch and in the dressing room, and that's probably where the departures of Pirlo, Tevez and Vidal hurt us more than they would in a different scenario.
The AM to me absolutely has to be a top player that blends experience, vision and the ability to be a decisive game changer. Draxler is not that player. Perhaps why a lot hinges on that move and it would help us turn things around from the mercato' perspective to optimise the new signings we have, especially in attack.