I agree with a lot of what is said in this thread, though it's telling that some of the conclusions drawn come from someone who favors Zoro as a character.
There's a 1 - 2 - 3 dynamic instead of just a 1 - 2 dynamic overall within the crew.
The 1 is Luffy, he get's pretty much everything in the story. Beats the big bad, part of all the cool groups , gets many many fights, etc.
The 2 is Zoro. He get's some of the things the 1 get's in the story. Is part of some of the cool groups but not all ( not a D. for example ), gets many fights but less than 1, doesn't defeat the big bad, and so on. He get's highlited as the last line of defense for Luffy in arcs like Loguetown or Thriller Bark, and is his FM.
The 3 is Sanji. He get's just some of the things the 2 get's in the story. He is not part of the cool groups like the WG, get's less fights, and in the main arcs usually defeats opponents somewhat comparable to the 2, while both of their opponents are much weaker than the 1. He is highlighted as the last line of defense for Luffy in arcs like Loguetown and Thriller back, but in those instances Zoro is pushed one step forward as Luffy's FM.
So the premise of Zoro being a Dark Horse does work out, depending on how far you want to run with it.
I'm only bringing Sanji into this because :
1. I do believe this dynamic is important to be acknowledged because it better informs the status of these characters, Zoro included.
2. Many tend to use the notions presented in this thread against Sanji or as proof that there's something different or changing about Sanji's status, when that's simply not the case.
It's only a matter of knowing everyones place and role in the crew, and why some of the characters getting more than the others is natural, was always the case, and does not mean that this well known dynamic is changing or will ever change for random reasons.
You can even pick it up from something as simple as the panel time Oda gives them, Top 3 in the crew for Wano
With Luffy getting about 1000 panels , Zoro about 500 and Sanji about 300.
It really doesn't take a genius to see what Oda's doing with these characters. There are arcs where some shine more and others shine less, but he's consistent with giving them spotlight and highlighting their significance when compared to the rest of the crew.
He even went as far as to have Sanji and Zoro get significant focus in the two consecutive Yonko arcs he has constructed for the Yonko Saga. It takes either a fool or a disingenuous person to say that these characters are not important for Oda and the story he is writting.
So back i go to this arc where Zoro is the main focus, and Zoro's main focus in general is combat, so i'm not going to be too harsh with anyone expecting the world from him. He's certainly going to do a lot, Oda will do him justice.
I look forward to him defeating a Yonko First Mate in 1 vs 1 combat, and proving Kaido wrong that no other Samurai like Oden will ever be born by opening his old scar