See also WinSCP suddenly opens with two local panels with seemingly no option to open a connection to my server. What do I do?.

Related: Issue 2217 – Make it harder to mis-click "never show this again" checkboxes

I do not think that anything has changed regarding your workflow in any recent release.
Can you please be more specific about the difference that irritates you?
It rather looks like you have unintentionally changed some WinSCP configuration.
Haven't you for example turned off Show Login dialog on startup ... option?
https://winscp.net/eng/docs/ui_pref_window

WinSCP was one of my favorite utilities until the recent "upgrade".

I used WinSCP to update files to several sites, and I could simply click on a site, connect, do my work, disconnect, and go enjoy a glass of good single-malt whisky.

Now I have entire directories that do not appear to be affiliated with ANYTHING, and I can't simply connect and/or disconnect from my regular sites.

It appears that I will be forced to either install an older version of the product or seek an alternate application.