Would he have desired something different from the cross, if that is what God intended for Him?
Jesus Christ was not afraid. As his arrest, the hours of torture mental and physical loomed in front of him, be became more aware of the excruciating suffering he was facing.
He whipped and beaten multiple times, After being whipped once how many welts and cuts would be the result of that first whipping? Now, have him beaten again on top of the first whipping? How much more sensitive to pain would he be at the second beating? How about after the second whipping, or third...?
I remember the pain of pulling off a bandaid off of a cut when the scab had dried into the gauze. that was one little cut, how about after being whipped with whip or a cat or nine tails with sharp objects attached to them designed to cut deeply.
Psalm 129:3
The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.
The plowers! that is a description of what Jesus Christ knew from scripture the pain he would have to endure!
Imagine having your shirt with it being dried into the scabs from a previous whipping being ripped off your back, not just one little 1" x 1" gauze bandage
How much pain just from having his garment ripped off of his scabbed back?
Jesus Christ was well aware of the excruciating suffering he would have to endure to pay for our sins.
Note that it say "plowers" plural, not single, there were several plowers.
If you were facing one tenth of the pain he willfully endured out of loving obedience to God his Father so that we could be redeemed and for our salvation, would you be praying for a less painful way to die?
I cannot speak for anyone else, but I doubt I would have the fortitude to face one tenth of what he endured willfully for our benefit. I have never been whipped but he was being flogged in spite of his innocence.
He loved, and loved and loved and this is what the religious elite did to him.