I agree with you regarding players not making runs for him yesterday, but his passing is generally poor.
I think some people's criticism of Marchisio is over the top, he played a "killer" pass to Quagliarella yesterday to go one on one, and played well defensively, plus he has scored two important goals already this season.
Defensive play is not just about making slide tackles, it is about being disciplined and sticking to your position.