There’s method in the madness with those extra touches around the half way line. Carrick used to be a master of them too, it’s not always about playing a quick pass to the guy closest to you when the rest of the team is marked up, it just puts him the same position you were and at best you might get it straight back.
What Matic, Carrick, Kroos, Busquets, Alonso et al all do is invite pressure on to themselves because they know an extra man on them equates to one of our players being in space.
It doesn’t always work out as intended, but that’s the reason they do it, they’re not just being sluggish and lacking awareness.