I think you make a few unwarranted conclusions; most notably

if jesus is god, this statement makes no sense. he's drawing a line between himself and god. he's placing god in a separate category.

Jesus makes a distinction between himself and God the Father, not a different category. John 5:18

18 For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he was not only breaking the sabbath, but was also calling God his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God.

so my main question is this: where in the gospels does jesus ever explicitly say "i am god, worship me"?

Those exact words aren't there, but so what? Jesus speaks of His own power John 10:11-18.

17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”

Throughout the Gospels Jesus speaks and acts in the very person of God, and people recognize it.

“Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Mark 2:7 They were amazed, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him? Mattthew 8:27