We programme our flt plan as published to us and I presume to ATC. Direct clearances are ALWAYS welcome, and any controller worth his salt, will try his level best as a professional, to give, it to us, wherever possible. Speeds are a different issue, especially below 10000' above ground level, and all airlines have different SOP's regarding that. Not-withstanding ATC instructions, no-one should be over 220 kts, subject to weight and aircraft type, within 25, nm of the airport' plus or minus'. Speeds change per aircraft type, ICAO, etc etc etc. If we all worked on that, surely the controllers life would be hugely, supported, and could work on, almost deifnate issues, i.e. 250 kts absolute max speed below 5000' above gnd level. SOP with most airlines. And,or,in most cases 250 kts below 10000', unless you have been cleared, and been told, but not during the day,' high speed approach' Fine, but not during the day, in this part of the world when birds try and ' nest in the engine ' I would like in plenty of time, to be told to slow down, or a speed to the OM. Be practicle. Birds, are nasty, and right now we are talking about the feathered kind.
Big thing.