But Liverpool's critics cannot argue that on pure heart alone they deserved their place in the Champions League final.
The newly crowned Premiership champions buckled under the combined pressure of the Anfield supporters and Liverpool's super-human efforts.
Before the game both managers were confident of victory, but Chelsea proved over confident having already booked a Liverpool city-centre club for a post-match party.
They were unprepared for the wall of sound which emanated from the sea of red shirts and hopeful faces.
Much has been made and written concerning the Kop's power to intimidate and overwhelm, but the emotional effect on the players cannot be doubted.
Every touch the Londoners made was greeted by roaring boos and deafening whistles. And the visitors were clearly affected as their defence fell wide apart in the opening stages.
Reds captain Steven Gerrard put Milan Baros through on goal with a deft flick, but the Czech striker was brought clattering to the ground by Petr Cech.
However the ball rebounded towards Garcia who crept in to push the ball past John Terry and over the line as William Gallas desperately tried to clear it from the goalmouth.
Certain angles on TV replays may show that the ball didn't completely cross the line but they will also show that Baros was clear on goal and deserved a penalty.
Chelsea were left reeling by Liverpool's fourth-minute sucker punch and the celebration chorus which rang around Anfield and must have been heard as far away as Stamford Bridge.
The usually cool of Chelsea millionaires was replaced by elements of uncertainty and hesitation as they struggled to thread together a decent passage of play.
Whereas Liverpool oozed confidence in their abilities going forward. Gerrard linked up well with both Baros and Garcia providing them with chances to terrorise Chelsea's defence.
The Merseysiders have played like a team possessed in Europe and they even managed to turn it up a notch as every player hustled for loose balls.
As Chelsea began to grow accustomed to the Kop's electric noise levels they orchestrated some deft build-up play.
But every opportunity they created was quickly stifled by Liverpool's defence, with Steve Finnan and Jamie Carragher deserving extra praise for their dogged determination.
The home side enjoyed most of the possession in the first half and Chelsea's only real chance came after 30 minutes when a wide open Joe Cole picked up the ball on the edge of Jerzy Dudek's area.
The young England star ran towards the byline, opened to draw Dudek from his line and float a cross over him, but the Polish keeper expertly shut down the angle and all Cole could do was lift it over his outstretched hands and out of play.
Jose Mourinho's half-time pep talk spurred his team into action, but the Reds proved to be impenetrable and the game quickly slipped back into Chelsea desperately searching for a chink in Liverpool's defence and looking for the ball on the counter-attack.
When Chelsea won a free-kick from 35 yards an eerie air of silence descended over the crowd. But Didier Drogba's effort sailed high over the bar and into the relieved Kop.
Rafa Benitez brought on the heavily rested Harry Kewell after 72 minutes to dubious mutterings from the Anfield faithful. But the Australian international silenced his critics by winning the home side a free-kick with his first touch.
However Gerrard's kick failed to produce a threat and was easily cleared.
Liverpool's defence remained solid despite a few hairy moments and the Merseysiders always looked likely to score a second on the break.
Djibril Cisse came closest when he found himself with only Cech to beat after collecting the ball from John Arne Riise, but the Frenchman's low driven shot was saved by Cech at the near post.
The referee signalled that there was six minutes of added time to be played to add to the Kop's frustration and torment. But Liverpool held on and survived a blistering shot from Eidur Gudjohnsen to win the game and book their place in Istanbul.