In the Dutch press there are suggestions that the "European Parliament" is purposefully blocking Barroso to get some leverage, like last time with Butiglioni. However, your analysis shows it ain't that simple - it's all parceled up and divided over national political groups. Ain't that simple.
But it doesn't look too good for Barroso - as long as he's not comfirmed and left in the lurch, he won't be able to put together a reliable groundwork for the next period. Are people still happy with gridlock in the EU?
As to exercising their power with respect to the nomination of the European executive, I think there is no topic which is more legitimate.
So it's a good thing.
And note that ALDE is not a pivot on their own: there are coalitions that can happen without them, and any coalition iwht them will need at least 2 other groups, so they can't run the show that easily. And ALDE-Greens coalition might play that role, but that would be a slightly different animal... In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
