Baziotes might be a good goalkeeper, the embowed forms could help him fly from one post to the other. His round shapes, fields of colour with light and agile movements would do the trick.
The defence line should be strong and would surely feature Ad Reinhardt at the centre; reminiscent of Baresi, he could easily gallop forwards, merely appearing to be monochrome. You can picture him standing in the centre guiding the entire defence. The slight variations in colour give him a lively eye, a quickness and variety in movement.
Expert in side-lines is Barnett Newman. We find once again the solidity of the colour field, laid almost monochromatically with colours that are stable and firm: essential qualities for the defender who can’t afford to lose the ball. But as a fullback, solidity must mix with a propensity to attack the side and start the play: the lines are definitely there.
Philippe Guston completes the defence line. A right fullback with good technique, delicate and inventive in his own manner, equally capable of attacking and defending, basically Maicon on canvas.
We need only add the rocky Adolph Gottlieb at the centre, he’d come in very handy for corner kicks. His elliptical visions in the higher register of the canvas would make him so strong and dependable in the air.
The midfield would be a mix of hard work and fantasy. A defending midfielder could be Sam Francis, he’d leave traits of sweat throughout the pitch: dominating it, working and fighting on every ball, winning back possession to start the play again.
De Kooning would be on his side, helping to win the ball back. But with his wider vision and good technique, he’d see the movements of all his teammates and draw lines across the pitch to dictate the play. He’d know the tempos and mechanics of the game so well, a true heir of the Dutch style of playing the game.
Clyfford Still would make a refined right-sided midfielder, the ones who belong to the Italian tradition. He’d be one of those players who dribbles, flies on the side, gives gas and crosses, while still fighting at the centre of the pitch. His lines could be arched, round or straight, nevertheless always sailing towards the strikers. His main activity would be to invent the attacking play.
A regista who dictates the tempo of the game is still in order. A gifted player with magic feet in that role would surely be Rothko. A Russian capable of seeing the whole pitch, equally comfortable with short and long passes and with a knack for shooting from outside the box. His all-enveloping textures of colour suggest a deep knowledge and vision of the game: capable of seeing beyond and orchestrating the offensive play.
The striker would have to be Pollock, a tightrope juggler, with dribbling ability and fierce creativity; imagine the free ranging tricks in true Brazilian style. He knows exactly when and how to shoot, and would be formidable also in limited space.
Franz Kline could be the second forward; not as technically gifted as Pollock, he’d be a physically strong striker, with stamina, a powerful shot and good at heading the ball. Perhaps not the most polished player of the team, but definitely one of the most efficient.
To sum up:
Baziotes
Guston – Gottlieb – Reinhard – Newmann
Still – Francis – De Kooning
Rothko
Pollock – Kline
