As for sequencing you sometimes will end up with the rough end of the pineapple but I have seen it the other way. Ie I have watched someone flog it the whole way across the bight vs someone taking it easy. The first aircraft copped 15 mins delay due traffic, undoing anything time he made up and the second was naturally at the end of the sequence and had no delay.
tee hee, been there, done that. I've learnt the hard way, never 2nd or 3rd guess cos you will invariably be wrong! (Just ask my wife)