John T,
I am also an unabashed dinosaur. Every modern FBW and non-FBW jet transport can be flown using basic flying skills, even with many failures this old formula works - level the wings, set the right attitude and thrust, and the result is the correct performance. Simples.
I repeat, when the automatics start to do things you don't like just disconnect them, level the wings and set attitude and thrust.
This recent article from the Royal Aeronautical Society explains a lot:-
https://www.aerosociety.com/news/dow...47XU5S,62OYB,1