An excellent comparison Kevin.
I suspect the EU have one of two objectives.
1. Make it completely impossible for the UK to do a deal, knowing that the mindset has already been established here, that no deal is a fate worse than death, so the usual suspects will be screaming from the rooftops that we cant leave at all, and the incompetent Govt. must stand down immediately.
2. Be as obstructive as possible, until the very last minute, and then do a deal.
The problem they have is that they don't want us to have a deal which is anywhere near comparable to being a member, but if we just leave and revert to WTO rules, in reality, that is nothing like the end of the world scenario, we are being told it is, at the present time.
They may be kicking their heels and dragging it out, hoping some unforeseen events, drop the answer to the problem into their lap ?