411a, yes I'm a junior guy, flying a glass 737 (as my profile says). I agree that its up to me to know how many miles to touchdown IF I know what routing I'll be doing. My point is that MAD continuously cut the corner on the descent as well as keeping you high and fast. I cannot predict how many miles we've got to run as they keep cutting us in early. Yes, I can predict a snatch on the FMS, and so work out the 'worst case' profile. Unfortunately, ATC have other ideas and won't let us descend.
My point is that the ATC guy is controlling our descent and speed, and HE doesn't know how many miles I've got to run. We can ask for repositioning etc. but this is obviously undesirable.
Also, some ATC guys just don't understand that we can't 'go down and slow down'. Doing a Riviera approach into Nice the other day, we were asked to maintain 180 to 4 dme!!!!
Yeah, right! Gear down, flap 30, 135 knots at 4 miles and we were still struggling to make the steep approach and get it stable.