Adrian Heath has raised his hand.

After presenting many unfiltered views on how players deserved the blame for goals conceded this season, Minnesota United’s coach has accepted his role in a porous defense that led to the Loons’ letdown second season in Major League Soccer.

“If there is any criticism on that, I have to take responsibility,” Heath said Friday.

Minnesota has allowed 68 goals heading into its season finale against the Columbus Crew on Sunday. If the Loons give up two or more, they will match or exceed the MLS-record 70 goals they allowed last season.

But shielding them from shame, Orlando City has been even worse this season, allowing 73 goals, with one more game to go.

The bottom line is Minnesota has not improved in Year 2. After finishing with 36 points a year ago, they have 36 this season, with an opportunity for up to three more Sunday.

Minnesota has mustered one more win this season and three fewer ties. That’s not really moving the needle.

On the road, “soft” goals — as Heath has sometimes wont to describe them — Minnesota has only one win after gathering three a year ago. Heath has tried to explain that eight other teams have two or fewer road wins this season

United sporting director Manny Lagos and Heath agree that they will pursue new players who they feel have steely mentality to fight for at least a point on the road.

“Ultimately, I think, first and foremost, certain areas of the field, particularly defensive midfield and our wide defending, we think really affect the overall stress we’ve put (ourselves) under in games,” Lagos said.

When defensive midfielder Sam Cronin suffered from concussion symptoms in preseason camp, the Loons didn’t have an adequate backup. Fellow midfielders Ibson, Collen Warner and Rasmus Schuller are more central midfielders.

“It’s not something that you just replace,” Lagos said of Cronin. “His role as a defensive midfielder, there’s very few of those in the leagues doing very well right now.”

United brought in Maximiano, but the Brazilian was limited during his recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament as well as Brazilian free agent Fernando Bob once the summer transfer window closed in August.

Heath, however, isn’t taking the lion’s share of the blame. He pointed to an example of center back Michael Boxall uncharacteristically losing a mark on Los Angeles striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic at the far post in the first half of last Sunday’s final game at TCF Bank Stadium.

Ibrahimovic, who is second in MLS with 22 goals, had an easy header to put the Galaxy up 1-0 in a 3-1 win. “It’s people making mistakes,” Heath said. “Boxy for me this year has had an incredible year. He’s made two or three mistakes in the last couple of weeks that have cost us a goal, which are very un-Boxy like.

“I can’t do anything about that expect to say let’s get back to what we’ve been doing,” Heath continued. “It’s something that is a huge frustration of mine and if there is one thing that keeps me up at night, it’s thinking about: ‘Is it the system? Is the formation? Is it the individual?’ That is what we have to come up with — an answer for next year.”