Javelin:
If an area controller is streaming you using speed control, the chances are that he couldn`t care less about the approach sequence, but is trying to make optimum use of the airspace and to present the traffic to the next sector in a helpful way. Line astern on speeds is preferable to line abreast, echelon starboard/port, arrowhead, reverse arrowhead, random scatter or anything else. This is specially true during busy periods on DTY sector when the MTMA inbounds have to be reconciled with all the other routeings.
Obviously there is ,or should be a payoff for the receiving sector who are then presented with a ready made sequence. It does sound like on this occasion you were unlucky, but I`ll bet there was a good reason why it happened the way you described.