The Red Bulls' Little Big Man HARRISON, N.J. - The numbers are impressive. After Saturday's 2-0 whitewash of the visiting Philadelphia Union, the Red Bulls (11-5-5, 38 points) are 7-0-3 at home this season. Perhaps more incredible, the club is 32-0-11 when it has scored first during the three-year tenure of Coach Hans Backe. With the victory, the club pocketed a cool seven points from three games in seven days and will either go into Major League Soccer's all-star break in first place in the Eastern Conference or close to it, pending the outcome of Sporting Kansas City's match later Saturday night. Asked if he was satisfied with the seven points, three of them in the beastly heat this past Wednesday, the club's star, captain and clear-cut leader Thierry Henry said: "We wanted nine. But after tying Seattle, we knew that seven points is not too bad. The Red Bulls opened the three-game stretch with a 2-2 tie against the Sounders on July 15, followed with the 1-0 win against Chicago in the stifling heat on Wednesday, then saw off the Union on two headed goals by Kenny Cooper. The scores increased Cooper's season total to 13, second-most in the league, and were his first goals since May 23. With the addition of Sebastien Le Toux and in the grips of a injury hoodoo that has sidelined Rafa Marquez, Jan Gunnar Solli, Heath Pearce, Teemu Tainio and now, perhaps, Brandon Barklage, the Red Bulls have stumbled upon the player Henry called "my guy," the rookie Connor Lade. A New Jersey native by way of the club's academy and St. John's University, Lade, all 5 feet 6 inches of him, was drafted as a defender but has found a home in Backe's cobbled together midfield. "He's the man of the season to me by distance," Henry said. He works in training, he comes early and stays late. I like his attitude. He fights for every ball, and he'll go forward, stay back, whatever. He's the type of guy you want to have in the team, a kind of player we didn't have in the past. He's a revelation. It's simple: when you're good, you're good. Henry, an avid basketball fan and a friend of San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker, a fellow Frenchman, was quick on the basketball analogy. He pointed out that the Miami Heat expect big things from LeBron James, but recently won the N.B.A. title on the strength of less-heralded players. "That's how you win things; you don't win titles without guys like Connor," Henry said. I love Connor; for me, he's our go-to guy. He plays right, left, center, back, forward. It doesn't matter. Lade has become a fan favorite at Red Bull Arena with his tireless, aggressive play, the type of effort that reminds people of a certain age of the gnat-like Jeff Cacciatore. With the match scoreless late in the first half, Joel Lindpere slid a pass from the center of the field toward the left flank. Henry played the decoy as the ball rolled to Lade. His crossing pass found Cooper's head for the game's first goal in the 43rd minute. He was in the mix again 13 minutes into the second half when he spied an open Henry on the left. Henry's cross was headed home again by Cooper. "I'm a small guy," Lade said. I've had to fight bigger guys my whole life. Coach just wants me to cause as much trouble as possible, find good spots and make room for our best players. I'm not trying to get too overconfident, I just want to play simple and consistent. I just want to be solid and contribute.