How about shouldering most of the footballing responsibilities when we were pressed high up, bringing the ball out without resorting to long balls, easing pressure on the defence by maintaining possession whilst under heavy pressure? If we're talking proactive here, then lets talk about why Romero and Blind had "barely" anything to do, and the answer lies somewhere in between Smalling's defensive ability and Blind's organisational intelligence. Without Daley shouldering almost all the buildup from the back, Smalling would have a whole lot more to defend.