The manager sets them up to play that way. The manager is in sole control of the shape. The tempo and application of tactics on the pitch in a given game is the manager.
In terms of what the players were asked to do - tippy tappy around, dominate possession and sod all else - they did really well! They did exactly what was asked of them.
That's why I blame the manager, because everything he had control over he ballsed up spectacularly. Yeah, Barkley misses a sitter, but it's a result of a defence who have been so good adding pressure on the chance to take it - as for all the useless possession, we had two (at best) actual chances in that entire second half.