I think Chris (like many pilots- especially Dick) doesn't really understand ATC- nor is it reasonable to expect them to. In much the same way that Dick doesn't understand screen-scale, and one's ability to provide service based upon that scale, Chris doesn't understand delay and it's absorbtion.
If you look at how JFK deals with delay, they do not tend to use a hold solution, such as Heathrow (or SY) does. They use extended finals. I have seen them out to 90nm or more- and anyone can watch via the web at various places. Whilst controllers will understand this may produce a perception that US controllers are somehow producing less delay (because they hold far less), it will also give rise to statements such as those in the article relating to low-level vectoring costs.
It also demonstrates why people with Chris' level of understanding think they can fire all the trouble-makers and do it better. Genius.