I preferred him as regista for his passing and decision making but even as a B2B mid he at least brings the right attitude. He was getting forward and slightly central of Dybala and Cuadrado quite a bit, offering a 1-2 into goal or just drawing a marker. Berna and Rabiot, by contrast, only ever run the channels where they're completely ineffectual - closest thing to end product is a low percentage cross.
When you watch any fresh blood run around in this team, it shows how frightened this group is, especially the midfield. They're content to be protagonists in a game of keepings off. Whereas Vlahovic, Zakaria, Miretti have shown since their debuts a basic instinct to put the ball in the bloody goal.
I really don't think that passive, negative football is part of Allegri's grand design. There's just a core of timid, uninterested players in this group that needs to be removed and replaced.