Would this arangement have been as useful for WVR dogfighting? I thought
the F-22s scheme for the IR missles was supposed to be one of its
biggest advantages.

I believe it would be fine,the thought being perhaps to get the seeker head on
the AIM-9 exposed to an IR source..I'm not sure which design was being pushed
harder at the time of the decision,but they were trying to keep the stretch of
the fuselage to a minimum.