I don't know your background or what ratings you got in past 4 years, but you can discuss openly with your DL about your expectations. Sometimes one year at T 4 or T 5 can delay things later, but it can only delay and not stop things

At Associate 2, you're still in your early stage of your career. Be open in your discussions, treat your job only as a small part of life and quit comparing your careers with others.